Vitamin D in Diet: Ensure You Get Enough

Have you ever wondered about the reason behind your poor immune system or bone health? Well, lack of vitamin D in diet can be one reason. A vitamin D-rich diet can fix these health issues in a jiffy as it is essential for your body. 

However, it is important to know where vitamin D in the diet comes from. Well, of course, when we are exposed to sunlight, our bodies make Vitamin D, which is actually a major source, too. However, there are some vitamin D in food items that can help you maintain good health.

So, in this guide, let us explore what you need to add to your daily diet to get a good amount of vitamin D.

Boost Levels of Vitamin D in Diet Easily

What are the two most vital components of the body? It’s none other than minerals and vitamins. Although there are multiple sources of vitamin D, such as green vegetables, soy products, and much more, it becomes equally significant to look after your overall health simultaneously.  

Guess what the best source of vitamin D is? Yes, it is sunlight, especially the morning sun! But if your body needs more of this vitamin, then you would need to look for dietary sources. So, here are the top good sources of vitamin D rich diet:

Vegetables Are a Great Source of Vitamin D.

Vegetables are essential for your body. However, there is a chance that you might not get too much vitamin D comparatively. But still, vegetables, especially green-leafy, are good sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D in vegetable lists comes from sources like spinach, kale, collard greens, and more.

These boost not only vitamin D levels but also vitamin K, Iron, and fiber. Another reliable option is Okra [Bhindi/Lady-Finger], which can help you fix your vitamin D levels.

Cheese Is a Vitamin-Rich Product.

A minimal amount of vitamin D is present in cheese, depending on its type. For example, fontina or cheddar cheese contains more vitamin D than mozzarella cheese, creamy cheese, and cottage cheese. You might find fortified cheese with extra vitamin D visible behind the product label.

Fruits Can Help to Add Vitamin D in Diet.

Having a vitamin D-rich diet is incomplete without having the right mix of fruits. In fact, this is an essential addition to a vegetarian diet. Adding fruits like papaya, bananas, oranges, and kiwis can help you vigorously boost your vitamin D levels.

Further, bananas are magnesium-rich, and oranges contain ample calcium in addition to vitamin D.

Dairy Products Offers High Vitamin D.

Oat milk, yogurt, almond milk, and other dairy products are the top sources of vitamin D. These dairy products offer various other nutrients like calcium, protein, and probiotics that can boost your overall health.

Add these vitamin D-rich dairy products to your diet today to see the magic they do to your overall health.

Margarine Is a Perfect Vitamin D Source.

Have you heard the name for the first time? Margarine is a butter substitute enriched with vitamin D and a blend of unconcentrated fat oils. Mostly, butter doesn’t contain vitamin D, but it is a fortified product that does contain vitamin D. 

These are some common foods that add vitamin D to the diet. But what if you are vegan? Well, there are a few options for that as well.

Sources of Vitamin D for a Vegan-friendly Diet

The human body can easily convert cholesterol into vitamin D, which acts as a hormone when exposed to sunlight. Consider this a hidden fact about vitamin D, which is why it is unique and different from other vitamins.

Now, if you are a vegan looking to add vitamin D to your diet, here are a few options:

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are, in fact, the only non-animal sourced product that contains ample amounts of vitamin D. However, it is also important to note that you won’t find much vitamin D in dark mushrooms. However, if the mushrooms are exposed to sun rays, they might contain approximately 450 IU per 100 gms.

Fortified Cereals

You must be aware that all these cereals and oatmeal are fortified with vitamin D. However, these cereals include between 0.2 to 2.5 mcg (i.e., 8 to 100 IU) per serving. So, it is important that you add the right amount to your diet to get good vitamin D.

Fortified Soy Milk Products

One cup of fortified Soy Milk is all it takes to boost those vitamin D levels in your body. Don’t go for non-fortified brands as they will have little to no vitamin D; instead, go for fortified brands because they contain approximately 2.9 mcg, i.e., 116 IU of vitamin D.

Fortified Orange Juice

Skeptical about flavors to choose from when buying a pack of juice? Orange flavor wins for this one if you are looking for a good amount of vitamin D. Why? The fortified orange juice contains approximately 2.5 mcg, i.e., 100 IU per serving.

Fortified Almond Milk

Drinking milk is very healthy for your body, and this is quite well-known. But if you are vegan and taking the alternative option, almond milk, then you are giving your body a boost of vitamin D daily. In fact, if you go for fortified Almond milk, you will get approximately 2.4 mcg (96 IU) of vitamin D per serving.

Try adding this to your vegan diet, and avoid too much exposure to sunlight, as too much sun is not too good for your skin!

Now that you know how to get vitamin D in your diet, let us quickly explore its prominent benefits.

Benefits of Vitamin D in Diet

Yes, vitamin D is an essential nutrient for good health. So, when you add vitamin D to the diet, you will get the following benefits:

• It helps to strengthen the bones and muscles.
• Vitamin D is very important in building immunity.
• Adding vitamin D to the diet can improve the oral health as well.
• Vitamin D is beneficial in diabetes prevention.
• The anti-inflammatory property of vitamin D helps with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms as well.
• Enough vitamin D in the diet can reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Vitamin D is found to be very effective during pregnancy and reduces the linked complications.

Conclusion

Vitamin D in the diet works wonders for your body! Are you still skeptical about this? Having said that, this sunshine vitamin is an essential nutrient that can boost your immune system and improve your bone health to keep the doctors at bay.

Vitamin D in food items such as mushrooms, cheese, vegetables, and others is quite accessible to all. In addition to this, there are various vegan or other vitamin D supplements to eliminate vitamin D deficiency. However, getting Vitamin A to Vitamin D for optimal health is a must.

So, plan your balanced diet today and ensure your body gets each nutrient right from vitamin A to D and others in sufficient amounts.