Vitamin D is among the most important nutrients for our body. Vitamin D-rich foods help maintain good liver health, strengthen our immune system to ward off illness, and also keep our bones strong. It is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and thus helps reduce chronic inflammation associated with various health conditions.
However, it gets difficult to maintain vitamin D levels in the winter season due to the lack of sunlight, which is the primary source.
Dr Piyush Gupta, senior consultant, and gastroenterologist at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi says, “To compensate for the lack of vitamin D from sunlight during winters, it is important to eat foods rich in this vitamin.”
Natural sources of vitamin D
1. Fatty fish: Dr. Kishore GSB, senior consultant & clinical lead, department of HPB surgery & liver transplantation at Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore says that fatty fish serves as an excellent source of vitamin D. “100g of salmon is adequate to fulfill the daily requirement of vitamin D. Other useful options are canned sardines or tuna.” However, Bharathi Kumar, dietician, Fortis Hospital, Nagarbhavi, Bangalore highlights that the amount of vitamin D also varies with the type of fish, whether it is farm-raised or wild caught as the latter has more vitamin D.
2. Cod liver oil: If one doesn’t eat fish, another option is cod liver oil. Besides being a rich source of vitamin D, it also provides Vitamin A, another essential fat-soluble vitamin. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which lower the lipid profile and is good for your heart health, says Kishore. Kumar points out that we need Vitamin C as a supplement to improve the absorption of vitamin D for which she advises consuming green leafy vegetables and green salads.
3. Mushrooms: For vegetarians, Bharathi Kumar recommends mushrooms. She says, “Mushrooms can synthesize vitamin D when exposed to Ultraviolet rays. However, Dr Kishore points out that mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D2 and not D3, which is more efficiently absorbed by the body. Vitamin D2 and D3 are the two main forms of vitamin D. The main difference between the two is that vitamin D2 comes from plants, while D3 comes from animals.
4. Egg yolk: Kishore emphasizes that eggs are considered to be an excellent source of nutrition. He says, “Egg yolks contain approximately 30-35 international units (IU) of vitamin D, which may not be sufficient to meet our requirements. There are some specialized forms of eggs, where chickens are fed vitamin D foods and thus such eggs are suitable to fulfill our vitamin D requirements.”
5. Fortified sources: Dr Gupta even recommends fortified sources of vitamin D such as cow’s milk, soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, cereals and juices, which are suitable options for vegetarians and vegans.
6. Cheese: Dr Gupta mentions cheese to be a natural source of vitamin D, albeit in very small amounts. “Some varieties such as Monterey Jack, fontina and cheddar cheeses tend to offer slightly higher levels of vitamin D compared to others, like mozzarella,” he says.
7. Red Meat: Another recommendation from Dr Kishore is red meat. He says, “It can contribute to a portion of the daily requirements of vitamin D. Normal amounts of red meat per meal can provide around 40-120 IU of the nutrient (the daily requirement is 600 IU).”
Dr Kishore says, “If we get our vitamin D levels checked, 70-80% of us will have low vitamin D levels that are lower than 20 ng/ml, indicating a deficiency. vitamin D levels above 40 ng/ml, are considered fine,” he adds.
