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Top 5 Common Food Sources of Vitamin D
Looking to get more mcg of vitamin D in your diet? Look no further! My team and I have crunched the numbers and did all the math to determine the top 5 common food sources of vitamin D, per serving.
| Rank | Food | Nutrivore Score | Serving Size (Raw) | Vitamin D (µg/serving) | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eel, Mixed Species | 385 | 4 oz / 115 g | 26.8 | 134 |
| 2 | Maitake Mushrooms | 3551 | 1 cup, diced | 21.6 | 108 |
| 3 | Atlantic Mackerel | 922 | 4 oz / 115 g | 18.5 | 93 |
| 4 | Swordfish | 557 | 4 oz / 115 g | 16.0 | 80 |
| 5 | Salmon, Average1 | 712 | 4 oz / 115 g | 14.2 | 71 |
Want to know more about this important vitamin including what vitamin D does in the body, how much vitamin D we need, what happens if we have low levels of vitamin D levels or if we get too much, and even more awesome food sources of vitamin D? Keep reading to learn all there is to know!
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What Is Vitamin D and What Does It Do?
Vitamin D is actually a group of fat-soluble steroid hormones, distinct from “true” vitamins because we can obtain it from non-dietary sources! In fact, sun exposure is a major way we get vitamin D, produced by the interaction between ultraviolet (UV) radiation and a special sterol in our skin. In humans, the most important forms are vitamin D3 (also called cholecalciferol) and vitamin D2 (also called ergocalciferol).
Nearly every cell in the body expresses the vitamin D receptor, giving vitamin D control of over 200 genes (and the proteins they regulate)! As a result, vitamin D is heavily involved in numerous biological processes, including the immune system, cell differentiation, gut barrier function, nutrient absorption (particularly of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus), bone formation, cardiometabolic health, and neurological health.
Research has shown that vitamin D can reduce the risk of autoimmune disease, plays a protective role against some cancers (especially breast and colorectal), may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, protects against inflammatory bowel diseases, and may even benefit Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Without enough vitamin D, risk of pregnancy complications, bone fractures, and total mortality all go up!
Learn more about vitamin D here.
Vitamin D Deficiency
A 2011 study evaluated American’s usual nutrient intake including nutrients that are naturally-occurring in foods, from fortified and enriched foods, and from supplements. The results indicated that an astounding 100% of American adults usual diet falls short of the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for vitamin D intake.
Groups At Risk
A number of risk factors can increase the likelihood of low vitamin D levels, including:
- environmental conditions (living in cloudy climates or at high latitudes),
- reduced skin exposure to the sun (such as from always wearing sunscreen or being covered by clothing),
- skin pigmentation (people with dark skin produce less vitamin D from sun exposure),
- genetic variations,
- inflammatory bowel diseases or fat malabsorption syndromes,
- having cystic fibrosis (which impairs the absorption and metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins),
- older adults (lower capacity to synthesize vitamin D),
- obesity,
- magnesium deficiency, and/or
- having liver or kidney disease.
Learn more here.
Symptoms of Deficiency
In children, severe vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets, leading to improperly mineralized bones, bone deformities, and, in severe cases, seizures. In adults, deficiency results in osteomalacia, causing bone softening, pain, and increased osteoporosis risk. Other symptoms include muscle weakness, fatigue, mood changes, and secondary hyperparathyroidism, which accelerates bone loss ultimately leading to osteoporosis. Long-term vitamin D deficiency may also contribute to various chronic diseases.
Learn more here.
Problems From Too Much Vitamin D
While vitamin D toxicity is rare and doesn’t occur from sun exposure, extremely high doses from supplements (especially above 50,000 international units or IU daily) can cause hypercalcemia, leading to kidney stones, bone loss, and calcification in the heart or kidneys. Symptoms may include fatigue, constipation, muscle weakness, and dehydration. Those with certain conditions, like sarcoidosis or hyperparathyroidism, are at higher risk. Consulting a healthcare professional for medical advice is recommended before using high-dose vitamin D supplements.
Learn more here.
How Much Vitamin D Do We Need?
The following table summarizes the current recommended levels of vitamin D, based on age, gender, or situation. (For reference 1 microgram of vitamin D is equal to 40 IU of vitamin D.)
Vitamin D requirements are difficult to standardize, as it can be obtained from food and synthesized by the body. For those with deficiency or insufficiency, many professionals recommend individualized supplementation based on regular testing of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels every 3-6 months. Higher intakes may be necessary for breastfeeding individuals in order to produce milk with high enough vitamin D content to meet infants’ needs, with options including daily supplements or a monthly dose. Vitamin D can be stored in the liver, allowing intake fluctuations without immediate deficiency. Maintaining optimal blood levels (50-70 ng/mL) is key, regardless of whether it’s achieved through diet, supplements, or sun exposure.
It’s also important to note that vitamin D has some important interactions with other nutrients, namely it regulates the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. The role of vitamin D in regulating calcium and phosphorus means that vitamin D helps with bone health. Learn more here.
| 0 – 6 months | |||||
| 6 months to < 12 months | |||||
| 1 yr – 3 yrs | |||||
| 4 yrs – 8 yrs | |||||
| 9 yrs – 13 yrs | |||||
| 14 yrs – 18 yrs | |||||
| 19 yrs – 50 yrs | |||||
| 51+ yrs | |||||
| Pregnant (14 – 18 yrs) | |||||
| Pregnant (19 – 30 yrs) | |||||
| Pregnant (31 – 50 yrs) | |||||
| Lactating (14 – 18 yrs) | |||||
| Lactating (19 – 30 yrs) | |||||
| Lactating (31 – 50 yrs) |
Nutrient Daily Values
Nutrition requirements and recommended nutrient intake for infants, children, adolescents, adults, mature adults, and pregnant and lactating individuals.
More Food Sources of Vitamin D
Other food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring), fish eggs (roe), beef liver, red meat, and egg yolks. Mushrooms grown under UV light are the only substantial non-animal-food source of naturally occurring vitamin D (mostly in the form of vitamin D2); grown under the same conditions, baker’s yeast can also produce vitamin D2. And, in some countries (including the US), a number of foods that don’t naturally contain vitamin D are fortified with it, such as store-bought orange juice, breakfast cereals, some dairy products such as cow’s milk, and plant-based milks such as almond milk and soy milk.
Best Food Sources of Vitamin D
The following foods have high concentrations of vitamin D, containing at least 50% of the recommended dietary allowance per serving, making them our best vitamin D foods.
Good Food Sources of Vitamin D
The following foods are also excellent or good sources of vitamin D, containing at least 10% (and up to 50%) of the daily value per serving.
Top 5 Common Food Sources
If you’re looking for top 5 common food sources of other important nutrients check out these posts!
cITATIONS
Expand to see all scientific references for this article.
Fulgoni VL 3rd, Keast DR, Bailey RL, Dwyer J. Foods, fortificants, and supplements: Where do Americans get their nutrients? J Nutr. 2011 Oct;141(10):1847-54. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.142257. Epub 2011 Aug 24. PMID: 21865568; PMCID: PMC3174857.
Foods High in Calcium
