What Foods Are Highest in Vitamin D?
Vitamin D, we all know that this is the only nutrient that our body’s produce when we get enough exposure to sunlight. Having said that, you may be surprised to know that over 50% of the world’s population are lacking in vitamin D and some even suffering from a deficiency
in the vitamin. This is due to many of us spending a lot of time indoors, wearing sun block whilst outside and having a diet that is lacking in fresh, nutritious foods.
Food is exactly the focus in today’s blog post, we will share with you the best foods with the richest amounts of vitamin D as well as answering any questions you have about vitamin D. So, let’s dive right in and find out more.
What are signs of low vitamin D?
Getting enough vitamin D is vital for the body and helping it function correctly. There are several tales tell signs that you are lacking in vitamin D, such as muscle weakness, fatigue, depression, and overall feeling of pain.
The reason vitamin D is so important is because it is one of most vital vitamins to keep the body healthy, the main benefits of vitamin D are.
- Maintaining good bone health
- Absorbing the right amount of calcium
- Supporting the parathyroid glands
If you have limited exposure to sunlight, the skin is unable to produce vitamin D for the body and this can lead to a breakdown in how the body can remain healthy leaving it exposed to suffer from a developing some of the following conditions, such as.
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Weakened immune system
- Risk of infection
- Weakened bones, leading to easy breakage for older people
- Multiple sclerosis
There you have some examples of symptoms you are lacking in vitamin D, don’t forget that these can be easily improved by spending more time out in the sun, eating foods rich in vitamin D, and taking specially formulated supplements of the vitamin.
Do apples have vitamin D?
Nope, apples do not contain any source of vitamin D. You’ll find that the fruit is rich in fibre and antioxidants meaning it is still a beneficial fruit to eat, but if it’s vitamin D you are after specifically, then apples are not the answer. If I was to be completely honest with you all, no fruit contains vitamin D, with the only fruit base source of vitamin D being fortified orange juice that has been formulated to contain higher percentages of vitamin D that do not naturally exist in fruits.
Having said that, there are some fruits, such as bananas that can help the body produce vitamin D. This is done by the high percentage of magnesium in bananas helping to activate vitamin D ensuring it is fully absorbed into the body and benefiting the bones.
Which vegetable is good for vitamin D?
Mushrooms is one vegetable considered to have the best levels of vitamin D. They can produce the nutrient from their exposure to the sunlight. The benefit and nutrients of the vitamin D found in mushrooms remains the same no matter how you eat them, be it raw, fried, baked, or cooked. To obtain the best levels of vitamin D, when using mushrooms in your cooking it’s best to include over 100g of mushrooms to have over 2300 IU vitamin D.
You will also find that spinach in another vegetable rich in vitamin D. Not to mention the other vitamins found in the ingredient. With high levels of vitamin C, calcium, iron, vitamin A, and fibre. When using spinach in your cooking, it is thought that one cup of fresh spinach leaves contains 25% of your necessary intake of all the vitamins and minerals mentioned.
How quickly can you get your vitamin D levels up?
There are three ways of quickly increasing the levels of vitamin D in your body.
- Getting enough sunlight daily
The sun is split into two UV rays, UVB and UVA, it is the B ray that causes the chemical process that helps to trigger the skin to produce vitamin D. To ensure you have the right amounts of vitamin D, you can do the following, remembering of course, that sun exposure must be done in the safest way to avoid worries of sun damage and increased risks of developing skin cancer. If you spend a lot of time indoors then aim to spend about 5-30 minutes in the sun daily. If this is too difficult you can aim for this twice a week, for optimal results expose your face, arms, legs, and hands to the sun preferably without any sunscreen. Just be mindful of not staying out too long as this will cause the skin to burn.
- Introduce supplements into your routine
Known for being the most convenient of introducing more vitamin D into your diet is by taking supplements. There are a vast number of different products available so finding one that is best suited for you and your needs will be an easy task. Just ensure you check with your doctor or medical professional about which product is best for you.
- Eating enough vitamin D rich foods
By increasing the amount of vitamin D rich foods, you will be helping your body in the long run. Here are some examples of foods that contain vitamin D naturally.
- Cod liver oil
- Salmon
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Trout
- Herrings
- Sardines
- Liver
- Fortified cheese
- Eggs
- Fortified cereals
Do carrots have vitamin D?
No, carrots do not contain any vitamin D, but they are packed with essential nutrients to keep you, your body, and your bones in their healthiest state. I have mentioned in the previous section the vitamin D rich foods that can work perfectly with carrots to make a wholesome and beneficial meal.
There you have a little more details about which foods are highest in vitamin D, I hope I have answered your questions today, but if not, then do come and find our health experts over on Instagram.