Foods that Contain Vitamin D

If you're trying to improve your health, it's a good idea to eat more foods that contain vitamin D. Why would you want to get more of this super nutrient? Vitamin D is very important for maintaining good health and a strong body, and may actually help prevent some diseases. So, how much do you need and how should you get it?

Eggs are high in vitamin D.

Vitamin D is important for many of the processes that keep you healthy. While there are many different schools of thought on how much D you need to maintain optimal health, doctors recommend that you get anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day. If you have concerns about how much D you should get in your daily diet, you should talk to your doctor about your specific circumstances.

This important vitamin plays a major roll in maintaining normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the bloodstream. You also need vitamin D to absorb calcium correctly, which is why you often see it added to calcium supplements. It is very important for the maintenance of strong bones.

Healthy levels of vitamin D may help to prevent many conditions, such as:

• Osteoporosis
• High blood pressure
• Rickets
• Osteomalacia
• Muscle weakness
• Depression
• Lack of motivation
• Inflammatory diseases
• Autoimmune diseases
• Weak, brittle bones
• Certain cancers

How do you know if you are at risk for being low in vitamin D? There are many situations that can leave you at risk for becoming deficient in this nutrient.

• If you live in an overcast area where some of the sun's ultraviolet rays are frequently blocked out, then you might be not getting enough. This is why people in cold, northern countries eat a great deal of fatty fish. Fatty fish, such as cod, herring and sardines, contain high levels of vitamin D.

Try fish oil for more D!

• If you do not leave the house very often, you may not be getting enough exposure to the sun to ensure optimal vitamin D levels.
• If you have certain digestive ailments, such as celiac disease and Crohn's disease, then you might not be absorbing enough vitamin D in your gastrointestinal track.
• Your kidneys are an important factor in turning vitamin D into a form that your body can use. If you have kidney disease, your absorption of vitamin D may be impaired.
• Liver disease may also affect your ability to absorb and assimilate vitamin D.
• People with dark skin may have impaired rates of vitamin D absorption.

If any of these factors apply to you, it is important that you talk to your health care provider to see if you are getting enough vitamin D. He or she is the only one who can safely judge if you are deficient or not.

Many foods out there contain healthy amounts of vitamin D, and if you want to increase your intake, eating D-rich foods is the healthiest way to supplement your diet. Your body can absorb the vitamins in food much easier than it can absorb compounds from pills, so make sure to get the bulk of your nutrients from fresh, healthy dietary choices!

Here are some of the foods you can eat to get more vitamin D:

• Vitamin-D fortified milk
• Cod liver oil
• Fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, cod and salmon
• Eggs
• Fortified cereals
• Breads and baked goods made with fortified flours

If you are looking for more information on foods that contain vitamin D, these articles will help you learn more.

• Medical News Today talks about how the recommended daily intake of vitamin D changes depending on who you talk to.
• The University of Michigan Health System has a great fact sheet that talks about daily intake and what foods you could eat to supplement your diet.
• The Mayo Clinic discusses the many functions of vitamin D and how you can make sure you're getting enough.
• The following article answers the question, "Do certain nutrients, like vitamin D, reduce your risk of heart attack?"

• Amino Acids Affecting Hair
• Foods Containing Vitamin K
• Facts About Iron

• Vitamin B12 Injections Side Effects
• Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
• Vitamin D Overdose
• Foods High in Vitamin K
• Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms