Vitamin D, aka the “sunshine vitamin” may be easier to obtain than we think, without the use of the sun.
“The sun is not strong enough for the body to make vitamin D from October to May, especially for those living north of Atlanta,” says Althea Zanecosky, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
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Not to mention the additional concerns many of us have by being exposed to the sun for an extended period of time, these foods offer the perfect balance.
But regardless of HOW you obtain your Vitamin D, it’s still critical that we do.
Vitamin D has been proven to help with our bone health, helps to regulate the immune system, lower blood pressure, protect against depression, and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and several kinds of cancer.
So are you getting enough D? Probably not.
The Institute of Medicine has set the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D at 600 international units (IU) for everyone under the age of 70. (It’s 800 IU for adults 70+.) But many experts believe that’s too low.
“There is talk that the RDA may be increased, and many physicians are now advising 2,000 mg daily for those with low blood levels.”
Here are some natural ways to get more Vitamin D:
Wild-caught fish (425 IU in 3 oz salmon, 547 IU in 3 oz mackerel)
Beef or calf liver (42 IU in 3 oz)
Egg yolks (41 IU per egg)
Canned fish (154 IU in 3 oz tuna, 270 IU in 3.5 oz sardines)
Shiitake mushrooms (40 IU in 1 cup)
Fortified Sources: (Note: not all brands are vitamin-D fortified, so read labels carefully)
Milk: whole, nonfat or reduced fat (100 IU in 8 oz)
Yogurt (80–100 IUs in 6 oz)
Almond milk (100 IU in 8 oz)
Pudding made with milk (49-60 IUs in ½ cup)
Orange juice (137 IU in 1 cup)
Breakfast cereals (50–100 IUs in 0.75–1 cup)
Fortified tofu (80 IU in 3 oz)
Oatmeal (150 IU in 1 packet)
Cheese (40 IU in 1 slice)
Eggnog (123 IU in 8 oz
Margarine (25 IU in 1 teaspoon)
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HT Prevention
