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Top 6 Whole Foods High in Vitamin D
Though we can get most of our vitamin D from sunshine, an estimated 24% of Americans and 40% of Europeans are vitamin D deficient. Depending on the latitude and weather where you live, it may just be impossible to get enough vitamin D from the sun alone. This makes consuming foods high in vitamin D an important supplemental source.1
Vitamin D is a nutrient that is extremely important for the proper functioning of crucial physiological processes, including bone health and immune protection against viruses, infection, cancers, and chronic inflammation. 1
In fact, most organs and body tissues have vitamin D receptors, suggesting many more important roles that scientists are still discovering.2
In this article, we’ll introduce you to the top 6 whole foods high in vitamin D.
Table of Contents
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone that our bodies produce when exposed to ultraviolet-B rays from the sun. That’s why it’s often called the “sunshine vitamin.”
It’s also an essential vitamin, meaning that our bodies need to get if from outside sources–in this case, the sun and through our diet.
Roles of Vitamin D in Your Body
Vitamin D plays several other critical roles in the body, including:
- Bone health: Vitamin D helps the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus from food necessary for the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth.6
- Immune function: Vitamin D helps to regulate the immune system and may play a role in reducing the risk of various autoimmune diseases.5
- Antiviral properties: Studies also show that vitamin D is effective in reducing the severity of viral infections, including COVID-19. 3
- Muscle function: Vitamin D promotes muscle cell growth and reduces inflammation, both of which support strong, healthy muscles.5
- Cardiovascular health: Vitamin D reduces blood pressure and improves blood sugar control.5
- Cancer prevention: vitamin D may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, including colon, breast, and prostate cancer.6
How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D looks at the necessary amount to maintain only one key role in the body–the maintenance of healthy bones, and protection against rickets, a disease characterized by weakening bones.
However, keep in mind that the RDA of vitamin D assumes very little sun exposure. What this tells us is that the optimal amount of vitamin D from food isn’t well established. And that it can change depending on the climate and the time of year.
In any case, here are the official RDAs
- Adults 19 years and older: 600 IU (15 mcg)
- Adults 70 years and older: 800 IU (20 mcg)
Keep in mind that people with darker skin are more likely to have lower levels of vitamin D, and may need to get more vitamin D from food and supplements.
This is because melanin–the pigment that makes skin dark–effectively shades the skin from UVB rays. Studies show that 20% of white adults and 75%-80% of black adults have low vitamin D levels in their blood.7 8
While an estimated 1 billion people worldwide are deficient in vitamin D. These deficiencies span all ethnicities and age groups.5
A word of warning: Sitting near a window while working or soaking up rays while driving won’t contribute to your vitamin D levels. Window glass blocks UVB ultraviolet light.
Can I Get Enough Vitamin D from Food?
The short answer is, yes, you can get plenty of vitamin D from foods high in vitamin D.
Since vitamin D is found mostly in animal products like fatty fish, egg yolks, cheese, pasture-raised pork products, and beef liver, people on meat-based diets like carnivore and keto have an easy time getting enough vitamin D from food.
For vegans and vegetarians, it’s more of a challenge. And across the board, many people rely on vitamin D supplements for their dietary RDA.
Top 6 Foods High in Vitamin D
These fatty whole foods will boost your vitamin D intake along with various other essential macro and micronutrients.
1. Pasture-Raised Lard
Pork, in general, is a decent source of vitamin D. While pasture-raised pork that gets to hang out in the sunshine can offer significantly higher concentrations.
Surprisingly, pastured lard is one of the best vitamin D sources on the planet, offering 1,000 IU of Vitamin D per tablespoon.[6] This makes lard nearly as high as cod liver oil.
Popular pork spareribs contain lower but still significant, 138 IU per 4-ounce serving.
Source: Larson-Meyer DE, Ingold BC, Fensterseifer SR, Austin KJ, Wechsler PJ, Hollis BW, Makowski AJ, Alexander BM. Sun exposure in pigs increases the vitamin D nutritional quality of pork. PLoS One. 2017
2. Salmon
Salmon is loaded with healthy fats, including omega-3s. Stored amidst this fat is an abundance of vitamin D.
- 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of farmed salmon contains around 526 IU or 66% of the RDV. 4
- 3.5-ounce (100-gram) wild salmon can contain up to 160% of the RDV 5