Natural Wholesome Sources of Vitamin D

When looking for natural sources of vitamin D, the first place to look is outdoors. Vitamin D is also known as the sunshine vitamin, because when the sun's UV-B rays touch our skin, skin cells produce vitamin D3. For fair-skinned people, all it takes is ten to 15 minutes in the midday sun to make 10,000 IU of this beneficial nutrient.

People with dark skin and elderly people make less vitamin D even when they spend time in the sun, so it is important for them to take in enough vitamin D from dietary sources. Natural sources of vitamin D are limited, and most are high in fat.

Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin D3. Wild caught salmon contains from 500 to 1000 International Units (IU) in a serving. In fact, vitamin D in a 4 oz. serving of baked salmon weighs in at just over 400 IUs.

Sardines are also a very good dietary source of vitamin D. One sardine, on average, has about 182 IU of this important nutrient. They are also a good source of iron and calcium.

Enjoy a shrimp cocktail appetizer as a tasty way to get vitamin D into your diet. A 4 oz. serving of boiled (or steamed) shrimp supplies about 162 IU vitamin D.

Some people refer to milk fortified with vitamin D as liquid sunshine. It is the number one source of dietary vitamin D with one cup providing around ¼ the estimated amount needed by adults.

Eggs have gained an unhealthy reputation over the years, but that is gradually changing. Eggs are, in fact, a good source of vitamin D, plus they are a very good source of iodine, selenium and B2.

Cod is a good dietary source of vitamin D along with selenium and B12, which all work together to protect cells from toxic substances that may be linked to cancer.

Including vitamin D rich foods to your diet is important on a number of levels. It helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus which are needed for strong bones and teeth, and it also plays an important in promoting a healthy immune system. Take steps to include these foods in your diet to avoid vitamin D deficiency when you don't get enough time in the sun.

(Reviewed by a medical expert for accuracy.)