Like other vitamins, vitamin D is a substance needed for health but only in tiny amounts. Unlike other vitamins, it doesn't occur naturally in food but can be made in the body. Most people know that humans use sunlight to make vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin." But modern humans don't get much sunlight, so we end up at the vitamin counter, often confused about what to buy. Our bodies make vitamin D3, cholecalciferol. At the supplement counter, you can choose from D3 or D2. Vitamin D2 is ergocalciferol, which differs slightly from D3 but behaves the same way in the body. D3 is slightly more potent. The main difference between the two supplements is how they are made. D3 comes from animal sources, although it can be made from lichen. D2 is derived from plant sources. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you'll want to read labels closely. Vitamin D is fat-soluble (absorbed along with fats), but taking it with oily foods isn't necessary. You can also get vitamin D from food. In the United States, many foods such as soy, almond, and oat milk are fortified with vitamin D. Few foods in their natural state contain vitamin D. Authorities disagree about how much vitamin D the body needs. In the United States, the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin D has been set at 800 International Units (IU). It's important not to take too much vitamin D. Vitamin D toxicity is rare but can be serious, resulting in symptoms ranging from nausea to bone pain and kidney stones. A deficiency of vitamin D can have serious consequences in the body. Vitamin D is vital for these reasons: 1. Bone Health Doctors discovered vitamin D when they were studying rickets, a children's bone disorder. Today rickets is rare, but vitamin D is still needed for bone health. It's especially important for women past menopause, who are at risk of osteoporosis. Vitamin D is also used to treat a more serious bone condition called osteomalacia (softening of bones). Vitamin D allows the body to absorb calcium. Without vitamin D, the body uses only a small percentage of the calcium in food. 2. Anti-Cancer Properties Higher levels of vitamin D in the blood are associated with lower levels of some cancers, including colorectal, prostate, and pancreatic. In animal studies, vitamin D was associated with fewer tumors and slower growth of tumors. Clinical trials in humans suggest that vitamin D may not prevent cancer but may slow its progress. 3. Brain Health Low levels of vitamin D may be a risk factor for various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Animal studies and cell studies have shown a connection, but the results of clinical trials have been mixed. Further research is needed. Remember that you have three choices about how to get your vitamin D: Doctors often favor the supplement because of the dangers of UV rays and the difficulty of getting vitamin D from diet alone. Oily fish is the best source of D3, but few people want to eat fish daily. In the United States, these foods are usually fortified with vitamin D2: Remember that Vitamin D2 is found mainly in plants, while D3 comes mainly from animals. Mushrooms, especially when exposed to UV light, are a rich source of vitamin D, but it is mostly D2 with some D3. When listing the amount of vitamin D in foods, most sources do not distinguish between vitamin D2 and D3. Some foods will contain a mixture of both forms. The following foods are rich in vitamin D, and since they are animal sources, they contain mainly D3: 1. Rainbow trout, farmed Just 3 ounces of rainbow trout provides 645 IU for 81% of the DV. It is also rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. 2. Sockeye salmon Sockeye salmon has slightly less than trout at 570 IU and 71% of the DV. Salmon can contain mercury, but some authorities say the benefits of salmon outweigh the hazards, especially when eaten in moderation. 3. Sardines A typical serving of sardines, which is about one can, would provide around 200 IU. Sardines offer other nutrients, such as vitamin B12 and omega-3s. 4. Egg With 44 IU and 6% of the DV, the vitamin D in one egg is almost identical to two sardines. The cholesterol content makes loading up on eggs inadvisable. 5. Beef liver Some people love liver. Some people hate it, but it packs a nutritional punch, with lots of protein, iron, and vitamin A. Like eggs, it is quite high in cholesterol. The vitamin D in 3 ounces of liver is 42 IU for 5% of the DV.
SOURCES: ESHA Research, Inc., Salem, Oregon. "Beef, liver, braised." Harvard Health Publishing: "On call: Vitamin D2 or D3?" Harvard Health Publishing: "Vitamin D and your health: Breaking old rules, raising new hopes." Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "Vitamin D." Journal of Aging Research: "Low Vitamin D and Its Association with Cognitive Impairment and Dementia." Mayo Clinic: "What is vitamin D toxicity? Should I be worried about taking supplements?" National Institutes of Health: "Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals." Nutrients: "A Review of Mushrooms as a Potential Source of Dietary Vitamin D." © 2020 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. Medically Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian, MD on July 22, 2020 Your body needs calcium and vitamin D. Are you getting enough? Many people don't. The best way to get more calcium is from your diet. You probably already know that dairy products -- such as milk, cheese, and yogurt -- provide calcium. Other foods that are high in calcium include: Foods that provide vitamin D include: To get vitamin D from food, fish is a good option. Three ounces of cooked salmon has about 570 international units (IU). Here's how much calcium and vitamin D you need every day, according to the Institute of Medicine. Calcium Vitamin D
Your doctor may recommend higher levels of calcium and vitamin D, especially if you aren't getting enough of them or are at risk for osteoporosis. © 2020 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. View privacy policy and trust info
Last Updated: April 23rd, 2022 Vitamin D is an essential vitamin required by the body for the absorption of calcium, bone development, immune functioning and alleviation of inflammation. (1) A deficiency of Vitamin D can lead to rickets, a weakened immune system, increased cancer risk, poor hair growth and osteomalacia. (1) Excess vitamin D can cause the body to absorb too much calcium, leading to increased risk of heart disease and kidney stones. (1) The current daily value (DV) for vitamin D is 20μg (micrograms) and the toxicity threshold is thought to be 250 to 1000 μg/day. (1) Sometimes vitamin D values are given in IU (International Units). When this is the case remember that 1μg=40IU for Vitamin D. (1) Vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means you need to eat fat to absorb it. Foods high in vitamin D include fish, mushrooms exposed to sunlight, fortified milk, fortified milk substitutes, fortified tofu, fortified yogurt, fortified breakfast cereals, fortified orange juice, pork chops, and eggs. Vitamin D is also made by the body when skin is exposed to sunlight and is therefore called the sunshine vitamin. This accounts for approximately 90% of our total vitamin D, with only 10% coming from food. Depending on where you live, 20 minutes of sun exposure a day is enough to meet your vitamin D requirements. Below is a list of the top 10 foods highest in vitamin D by common serving size, for more see the nutrient ranking of 200 foods high in vitamin D. See All 200 Foods High in Vitamin D Next ➞
Vegetables high in vitamin D include mushrooms which have been exposed to sunlight. Other vegan foods high in vitamin D include fortified soy products like tofu, soy milk, and soy yogurt, fortified cereals, and fortified juices. Unfortunately, no fruits are high in vitamin D, and fortified orange juice is currently the only fruit product commonly sold with vitamin D. Consuming too much vitamin D from food or supplements can lead to anorexia, weight loss, polyuria, heart arrhythmias, kidney stones, and increased risk of heart attacks. Vitamin D cannot reach toxic levels if created naturally from sun exposure. (1)
Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository. You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing. Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.
Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating. Some of the most popular targets include:View more food groups with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool. MyFoodData provides free nutrition data tools and articles to help you organize and understand the foods you eat. Create a free account to get nutrition facts on recipes and meals, track foods, and set custom targets. feedback |