Vitamin D Rich Foods, Fruits & Vegetables To Add In Your Meals

Maintaining a healthy diet requires consuming appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. The lack of any of these components in your diet can result in malnourishment. A deficiency of vitamins is a common issue that people face, as the human body requires several essential vitamins, and individuals often overlook the intake of some of them. One of these vital vitamins is Vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in regulating calcium and phosphate levels in the body. Therefore you can uplift your body’s vitamin D content by consuming vitamin-rich foods, fruits and vegetables. Here is the list; go for the one you might consider of love incorporating into your diet.

Vitamin D Foods List

The significance of vitamin D cannot be understated as it plays a vital role in maintaining strong bones and preventing ailments such as osteoporosis, rickets, osteomalacia, and a weakened immune system. Sadly, many factors, such as procrastination, exposure to environmental hazards, and the harmful effects of sunlight, hinder us from getting the necessary daily dose of vitamin D from the sun. To counter this, consuming vitamin D-rich foods can be of great help.

Foods	Vitamin D (International Unit)
Egg yolk	18 IU (1 Egg yolk)
Salmon	988 IU (100 grams)
Sardines	272 IU (100 grams)
Tuna	268 IU (100 grams)
Cod liver oil	450 IU (1 tbsp)
Mushroom	2300 IU (100 grams)
Soy Milk	107-117 IU (1 cup)
Orange juice	100 IU (1 cup)
Cereal	40-100 IU
Cheese	24 IU (100 grams)
Oysters	268 IU (6 raws)
Shrimp	42 IU (1 large)
Tofu	100 IU (100 grams)
Pork	53 IU (100 grams)

1. Cereals

Cereals are considered the best breakfast, supported with reasonable amounts of essential vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin D. It can give you a lighter way to have a healthier breakfast.

Cereals/ oatmeals contain 40-100 IU per 100 grams.

Ideal consumption quantity – 25 – 30 grams for children and 30 – 45 grams for adults

You might like: Protein Rich Foods List

2. Eggs

People tend to avoid eating yolk because they think it contains fats. But the other coin side is that its white part has protein, whereas fats, vitamins, and minerals are found in the yolk. Also, you can try any number of dishes with eggs.

Egg yolk contains 18 IU of vitamin D

Ideal consumption quantity – In adults consuming around 1-2 eggs is healthy

3. Cheese

Cheese is among the best foods high in Vitamin D. It is valued for its high phosphorus, fat, protein, vitamins, and calcium content. So, eat cheese raw if you like it, add it to your dishes, or try cheese spreads over any bread.

Moreover, 100 grams of cheese contains 24 IU of Vitamin D

Ideal consumption quantity – Researchers suggest having 40 grams of cheese daily.

4. Fatty Fish

Oily and fatty fish is also one of the best-known sources compared to other fishes. A fish can naturally store vitamin D in its liver and fat tissues. Sardines, mackerel, and trout are some food with vitamin D. You can eat boiled fish, toasted, pickled, and in a wide variety of dishes.

Also Read: Foods High in Calcium

Ideal consumption quantity – As health experts suggest having 8 ounces (2 servings) of fatty fish is healthy to consume weekly.

5. Cod Liver Oil

Cod liver oil is the next best food with vitamin D. It is high in omega-3 fatty acids and has many health benefits, including reduced inflammation and lower BP. In addition, it helps maintain healthy bones, relieves joint pain, aids in treating rickets, and improves eye health.

To know Cod oil has 450 IU (1 tbsp) rich in Vitamin D

Ideal consumption quantity – In adults consuming around 1-2 eggs is healthy

6. Pork

It’s generally known that pork is one of the vitamin D-rich foods and many other nutrients. You can eat freshly cooked or preserved pork. The pork liver is mostly rich in Vitamin D, and pork exposed to sunlight offers much more vitamins.

To know, 100 grams contains 53 IU of Vitamin D

Ideal consumption quantity – Consuming cooked pork between 50-70 grams in adults is healthy. (But it has inevitable consequences, must limit its consumption)

7. Oysters

Oysters are famous seafood eaten across the globe. They are low in calories but high in nutrients like vitamin D, phosphorus, B12, copper, zinc, and omega-3. You can add boiled oysters to your salad, which not only adds up the taste but will also give you a lot of health benefits.

They have 268 IU of vitamin d in 6 raw oysters.

Ideal consumption quantity – On average, every adult should consume 3-4 oysters daily.

Also Read: Foods that contain Zinc

8. Yogurt

Yoghurt, known as curd in India, is an excellent choice for enrichment as it’s good in calcium, protein, and gut-friendly bacteria. Fortified yogurt improves vitamin D levels and offers many health benefits too. It also prevents the development of chronic diseases.

Ideal consumption quantity – 1 – 1 ½ cups is considered healthy.

9. Tofu

Vegetarians can gain a good amount of vitamin D in fortified tofu, famously known as cottage cheese. You can take it with different gravies or garnish your salads to make them more tasty & enriched.

For information, it provides around 100 IU of vitamin d per 100 grams

Ideal consumption quantity – Eating around 25 grams daily helps provide a good portion of vitamin D.

10. Soy Milk

Soy milk is a plant-based product curated by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them thoroughly. It can be easily made at home as well without much effort. Also, it contains the same amount of protein as cow’s milk. It is also high in Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and iron. 

To know soy milk has 107-117 IU of vitamin d in 1 cup

Ideal consumption quantity – One must consume less than 500 ml of soy milk daily.

11. Tuna

Tuna is counted as one of the most valuable foods that have vitamin D. Although levels of vitamin D in tuna also vary depending on the type. You can make tuna salad drizzled with olive oil, boil, stir fry, and eat it with bread.

Tuna contains 268 IU of vitamin d per 100 grams.

Ideal consumption quantity – 85-140 grams of tuna fish can be eaten 2-3 times a week.

12. Salmon

Salmon is a fatty fish, another great food high in vitamin d. It is also high in omega-3 fatty acids. It can be made in different ways as you like to eat. However, try salmon with some grilled or baked vegetables for a healthier dinner.

To know salmon brings 988 IU of vitamin D

Ideal consumption quantity – A total of 8 ounces is healthy to consume weekly.

13. Shrimp

It’s raw meat, translucent by nature, firm yet tender in form, and mild-tasting flesh. Shrimp also contains cholesterol, minerals & vitamins such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, and vitamin B3. They can be eaten steamed or boiled. It is among the excellent vitamin d rich foods among the nutritional kinds of seafood.

To know, 1 large shrimp roughly provides 42 IU of vitamin D

Ideal consumption quantity – Consuming less than 200 grams of shimp daily is healthy.

Also Read: Weight Gain Foods List

Vitamin D Fruits and Vegetables

Vitamin D is a vital nutrient for the proper functioning of the body. It is produced by the body, but the amount in which it is produced differs from person to person. When it comes to direct sunlight, the human body starts producing vitamin D. Individuals who don’t come in contact with the sun very often might have low levels of vitamin D. The vitamin D content in the body can be stored by having vitamin D fruits and vegetables accompanied by 10-30 minutes of sunlight (the times varies from person to person, especially for the ones with sensitive skin.). The vitamin D fruits and vegetables list below will help restore healthy vitamin D content.

14. Mushrooms

Mushroom is one of the best Vitamin D vegetables, which naturally produces this nutrient when exposed to sunlight. However, they contain no fat and are a valuable source of fibre & selenium. They can be cooked, baked, or pan-fried to get tasty and healthy dishes.

For information, 100-gram mushroom has 2300 IU vitamin d

Ideal consumption quantity – Less than 100 grams of mushroom daily is good for health.

15. Spinach 

If you are a leafy green veggie-lover, spinach is one of the best vegetables containing vitamin D & calcium. Spinach is an excellent source of quick energy and sounds like a delicious ingredient in any food. Roughly one cup of cooked spinach contains 25% of your necessary daily calcium, iron, Vitamin A, and fibre intake. 

Ideal consumption quantity – Consuming 1 cup fresh spinach or ½ cup cooked spinach is recommended by health experts.

Also Read:- Vitamin C Rich Foods

16. Orange

There are limited Vitamin D fruits. Around 75% of people worldwide are either allergic to dairy products or lactose intolerant; some are vegan. So, orange or orange juice is the best option with vitamin D and other nutrients such as calcium.

1 cup of orange juice has 100 IU of vitamin d

Ideal consumption quantity – It is healthy to have one orange per day.

17. Bananas

When you stumble upon fruits containing vitamin D, banana is another best option. This is because they are a great source of magnesium, which activates vitamin D in the body. Also, it is suggested that an actual amount of magnesium is necessary to get the optimal benefits of vitamin D.

Ideal consumption quantity – Daily consuming 1-2 bananas is recommended by health experts.

Thus, let us conclude with a note that vitamin D can be absorbed in multiple ways and through various vitamin D fruits & vegetables also.

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