Hey Sunshine! Got Vitamin D?

By : Jodie Shield | 0 Comments | On : June 9, 2018 | Category : Adults, Kids, Seniors, Teens

Vitamin D deficient? Discover how basking a few minutes in the summer sun and eating vitamin D-rich foods can help.

Guest Post By: Tracy Duda, Dominican University Nutrition and Dietetics Student

Are you one of the countless people who have been told you have a vitamin D deficiency? Vitamin D remains a hot topic. While our bodies make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, it’s tough during the winter months to produce enough. Recent studies show that lack of sunshine, coupled with the fact that few foods naturally contain vitamin D, creates a recipe for a deficiency. Before relying on expensive supplements to boost your vitamin D, keep reading to discover how lounging mindfully in the warmth of the summer sunshine and eating vitamin D-rich foods can put you on the right track to averting a deficiency.

 Vitamin D Scoop

Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium, contributes to constructing strong bones and teeth, and plays a role in boosting the immune system. Emerging evidence suggests vitamin D may also play a role in preventing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and certain autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. However, it’s too early to offer specific nutrition guidance on these heath issues; stay tuned for more research.

According to the Institute of Medicine, you are at risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency if your vitamin D blood level – serum 25(OH)D – is under 20 ng/mL. If you are wondering how much vitamin D you need every day, check out the following table.

 Vitamin D Recommended Dietary Allowances

Age	International Unit (IU)
0 to 12 months*	400 IU
1 to 70 years	600 IU
> 70	800 IU

* Adequate Intake

 

Got Sun?

One of the best sources of vitamin D comes from the sunshine, but because of the known risks of skin cancer that are linked to the sun, we tend to dodge the sun altogether. Research suggests that getting out in the sun about twice a week before slathering on sunscreen for 10 to 30 minutes during midday can help you evade a deficiency. Keep in mind, if you live in the Midwest or northern cool climates, soaking up the sun can prove to be difficult in the winter months. In addition, if you have darker skin your body absorbs less vitamin D due to its higher melanin content. If you find yourself in these circumstances, you will need to rely on diet and possibly supplements to boost your vitamin D.

 

 Best Foods to Eat for Vitamin D

Because few foods naturally contain vitamin D, it’s important to devise an eating plan that incorporates foods high in vitamin D to help meet your daily needs (see the chart below). A handful of foods such as milk, yogurt, and orange juice are fortified with vitamin D. Pay close attention to nutrition labels when you are shopping for groceries to ensure that you are purchasing vitamin D-rich foods.

 

Best Food Sources of Vitamin D

Food	IUs / Serving
Cod liver oil, 1 tbs	1360
Sword fish, cooked, 3 oz	566
Salmon, cooked, 3 oz	447
Canned tuna fish, 3 oz	154
Orange juice, fortified, 1 cup	137
Milk, fortified, 1 cup	115-124
Plant-based milk alternatives, fortified, ½ cup	84
Yogurt, fortified, 6 oz	80
Margarin, fortified, 1 tbs	60
Egg, 1 large (vitamin D in yolk)	41
Ready to eat cereal, fortified, 1 cup	40
Swiss Cheese, 1 oz	6

 

Sunshine Up

Vitamin D plays an important role in keeping us healthy, so we need to be diligent in making sure that we get enough. Obtaining enough is as simple as getting a little bit of midday sun (about 10 to 30 minutes twice a week) before lathering on sunscreen and eating a diet with the best food sources of vitamin D. If you aren’t able to get out in the sun, then you may want to consider taking a supplement. Research on vitamin D is continuous so, stay tuned!

For more recipes rich in vitamin D, download the FREE app, Eat Healthy Homemade Meals, from the Apple Store and Google Play.