Have you had your Vitamin D levels tested lately? How were they? If they were low, don’t feel bad… Most people are deficient in Vitamin D. Even people that work diligently to keep their Vitamin D levels at a normal range have a hard time achieving that. But why?
As a society, we spend more time indoors. Imagine times when people had to work the land outside all day, when we herded livestock and fished and grew our own food. Back then, people were soaking up the sunshine most of the day. Today, a lot of us work indoors and we protect ourselves from the harmful UV rays. So, it is a catch 22: protect yourself from harmful UV rays but be Vitamin D deficient. How can we be healthy on both ends of that spectrum, especially during the winter time when our days are shorter? Easy, eat healthy!
We are what we eat. We’ve mentioned this before. You can increase your Vitamin D levels by consuming foods that are higher in Vitamin D.
Here is a handy list of foods that are rich in Vitamin D:
Eggs: 1 large egg contains about 40 IU of vitamin D
Yogurt: 6 oz. contains about 20% of your necessary daily intake of Vitamin D.
Seafood: Fresh fish, caviar/roe, eel, and cod liver oil are all good sources Vitamin D.
Meats & Fats: Beef liver, pork, pork fat, and duck fat are all good sources of Vitamin D.
Vegan Options:
Fortified Tofu: Check labeling to see if it is fortified.
Mushrooms: This one is tricky and interesting. When grown under UV lights, mushrooms can absorb that UV and that will make them high in Vitamin D. So, in order to ensure you are getting the Vitamin D benefits, you need to know how the mushrooms were grown. If grown under UV lights, 3 oz. of mushrooms can contain about 400 IU of Vitamin D.
Orange Juice: Fortified orange juice (must check the label) can give you about 20% of your necessary daily intake of Vitamin D. One cup of fortified orange juice contains about 100 IU of vitamin D.
If you have a hard time adding these foods to your diet, modern science has also been kind enough to make Vitamin D supplements that are easy to take.
As with any dietary or lifestyle change, you should always consult your primary physician before altering your diet or taking any supplements. They will be able to test your Vitamin D levels and recommend the appropriate path for you. And hey, maybe you are one of those few lucky people that have normal levels of Vitamin D!