Vitamin D Sources
Supplementation with Vitamin D may be required because of it’s lack of plentiful sources in natural. A few of the main sources of it in nature include the flesh of fish like mackerel, salmon, tuna, as well as fish liver oils. A minute amount of vitamin D is found in cheese, egg yolks, and beef liver.
The main form of vitamin D is D3, known as cholecalciferol. Comparatively, there are some mushrooms that provide a form of vitamin D2, known as ergocalciferol.
In the American diet, most fortified foods provide a majority of vitamin D. As an example, almost all milk found within the United States contains a cup of vitamin D. In the early 1900s, the United States implemented a program to fortify milk with vitamin D to help fight rickets – during this period, rickets was a serious public health concern.
Other kinds of dairy products are usually not fortified. Ready to eat cereal though also contain vitamin D, in addition to yogurt, margarine, and juice. However, in the United States only certain products are allowed to be fortified with vitamin D and maximum levels of added vitamin D are limited by law.
Below are list of some of the sources of vitamin D.
|
Food |
IUs per serving* |
Percent DV** |
|
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon |
1,360 |
340 |
|
Salmon, cooked, 3.5 ounces |
360 |
90 |
|
Mackerel, cooked, 3.5 ounces |
345 |
90 |
|
Tuna fish, canned in oil, 3 ounces |
200 |
50 |
|
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 1.75 ounces |
250 |
70 |
|
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup |
98 |
25 |
|
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon |
60 |
15 |
|
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV) |
40 |
10 |
|
Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is found in yolk) |
20 |
6 |
|
Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces |
15 |
4 |
|
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce |
12 |
4 |
*IUs = International Units.
**DV = Daily Value.
Of course, if you’re not obtaining enough vitamin D from your diet you can always take supplements.
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