Winter calls for longer nights and shorter days without sunlight. With cold and flu season on the rise, plus seasonal affective disorder rearing its ugly head, our immune system takes a hit. One nutrient that is excellent at fighting off attacks on our body is vitamin D.
Unfortunately, with longer hours of darkness, absorbing vitamin D from sunlight can be more difficult in the winter. It just means we have to work a little harder to get what we need from sources other than the sun. Vitamin D has several benefits, from supporting muscle and neurological function to helping calcium absorption in the bones, and of course boosting the immune system.
Sources of vitamin D other than the sun come from our foods. Below are the best foods that are rich in vitamin D that are worth adding to your diet.
The best foods rich in vitamin D
Salmon
The amount of vitamin D can vary depending on the individual fish you use. For example, one study found that farmed salmon had 25% the vitamin D content of wild-caught salmon. As such, if you get vitamin D from fish sources, try to choose wild-caught fish instead of farm-raised fish. As established, the USDA says that salmon has an average of 670 international units of vitamin D per 3.5 ounces.
Swordfish
Another fatty fish that is an excellent source of vitamin D is swordfish. The USDA lists a 100-gram serving as containing 666 IU of vitamin D. That’s over the 600 IU daily recommendation for people ages 1 to 70, so cooking up some swordfish for dinner can help you easily meet your needs. your vitamin D.
Tuna
This lunch staple can also be high in vitamin D. While not as high as salmon or swordfish, fresh yellowfin tuna still contains 82 IU of vitamin D per 100 grams, according to the USDA. It may be a food that should be included as part of a general diet of foods rich in vitamin D. However, bluefin tuna has 227 IU of vitamin D per 100 grams, so check which type of tuna you are eating.
Egg yolks
As listed by the USDA, one whole egg yolk contains 218 IU of vitamin D. Just making a frittata or some scrambled eggs in the morning with two eggs can give you a boost of 436 IU of vitamin D. That’s a good way to start every morning.
Orange juice
While oranges themselves are best known for their vitamin C content, orange juice often comes fortified with added vitamin D to help boost our health. Just check the label on your orange juice to see if it’s fortified with vitamin D. One study found that vitamins D2 and D3 are just as available in orange juice as taking vitamin D capsules, meaning the body can still absorb vitamins well. .
Fortified milk
Milk is another drink that is often fortified with vitamin D to help us get this valuable nutrient. Like orange juice, milk is not a natural source of vitamin D, but the FDA allows manufacturers to voluntarily add up to 84 IU of vitamin D3 per 100 grams of milk and 84 IU per 100 grams of D2 to plant-based milk alternatives.
Fortified cereals
Another good way to get access to vitamin D is to choose cereals that are fortified with it. There are a wide variety of cereals that all add vitamin D. You just have to check the label of what you’re buying. The Mayo Clinic lists fortified cereals as a good source of vitamin D. You can look for more healthy cereal brands, such as whole grain options, which are more likely to be fortified with higher levels of vitamin D and be better for you overall. Try to avoid high-sugar, low-nutrient cereals.
Beef liver
Liver is a love-it-or-hate-it food, but if you like beef liver, it’s another good way to get vitamin D. You can cook it, aka onions, or liver sausage can be a source. good vitamin D. According to the USDA, beef liver cooked in a pan has 40 IU of vitamin D, measured for a single slice.
Sardines
This is another food that people either really love or really hate. However, if you’re a sardine lover, sardines also have a higher amount of vitamin D. According to the USDA, 100 grams of canned sardines have 193 IU of vitamin D. Enjoy sardines on some crackers or add them to your favorite pizza.
Herring
Herring is another type of fatty fish that is popular for eating out of a jar and on crackers, or you can cook it for dinner. According to the USDA, herring boasts 214 IU of vitamin D per 100-gram serving. In fact, herring is a popular holiday food in the Midwest. During the cold, dark months, it’s a convenient and popular holiday food, and boasts fairly high levels of vitamin D.
Wild mushrooms
If you’re looking for vitamin D that doesn’t come from an animal source, mushrooms are perfect. Like us, fungi create vitamin D when exposed to UV light from the sun. Mushrooms are packed with vitamin D2 (animal sources contain vitamin D3), and one cup of wild mushrooms can equal about 136 IU of vitamin D.
