The Benefits of Vitamin D, the Sunlight Nutrient
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woman staring at the sun
Are you getting enough Vitamin D? Many people are worried about Vitamin D deficiency, which the Institute of Medicine says has been
over-diagnosed in recent years. Unlike other nutrients, Vitamin D isn't really a vitamin at all: It's a hormone, made by your body as you are exposed to sunlight. Whatever it is, it has an important role in maintaining bone strength (its role in fighting other diseases has not been proven). If you eat a varied diet and get some sun (about 20 minutes a day, unfiltered by
sunscreen) then you are probably getting all the Vitamin D you need from these sources. Even if you aren't getting enough Vitamin D from sunlight, though, you probably don't need a vitamin supplement, according to the Institute of Medicine. You need some Vitamin D-rich foods, like the ones we feature here. (About 600 iu of Vitamin D daily.) This list includes the foods with the most Vitamin D, according to the
USDA. Enjoy!
Salmon
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salmon fillet
Salmon has by far the most Vitamin D of any food (and wild salmon has much more than farmed salmon, which unfortunately is cheaper and easier to find). Half a fillet of sockeye salmon has more than 1,400 iu of Vitamin D – more than twice as much as most people need in a day. The next-highest Vitamin D food, Pacific rockfish, has about one-third as much as salmon. (Unlike wild salmon, which is considered one of the most sustainable fisheries, Pacific rockfish is badly depleted.)
Wild Salmon Recipes:
> Wild Salmon with Ginger and Green Onions
> Honey-Lime Wild Salmon
> Teriyaki Salmon with Gingery Chard
> Salmon Pie
> Sesame Wild Salmon with Bok Choy and Carrot Ginger Whole Wheat Couscous
> Toasted Wild Salmon
> Red Chili-Rubbed Salmon
> Horseradish-Crusted Wild Pacific Salmon
Tuna
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canned light tuna in oil
A serving of tuna has a healthy dose of Vitamin D - more than one-third of a daily dose. Light tuna in oil has the most Vitamin D. (Light tuna in water has about one-fourth of a daily dose, while white tuna has about one-tenth. Light tuna also has less mercury than white tuna, making it a safer choice.) The other fish-in-a-can, sardines, also have a lot of Vitamin D - about one-fourth of a daily dose (along with a healthy dose of calcium), and pickled herring have about one-sixth of a daily dose.
Sole or Flounder
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fillet of sole
Flatfish like sole and flounder have about one-fourth a day's worth of Vitamin D. (The other white fish, cod, has less than one-tenth.) Look for Pacific flounder, sole or cod at the fish market, because Atlantic stocks are depleted.
Recipes:
> Grilled Dover Sole with Red Peppers, Thyme, and Black Olives
> Penang Fish with Chile, Garlic, Ginger, Lemongrass and Black Pepper
> Broiled Cod with Miso Glaze
Milk
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milk pouring into a glass
Fortified milk has about one-fifth a day's worth of Vitamin D (whole milk has more than skim).
Cereal
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cereal
Like fortified milk, fortified cereal provides a more balanced meal than a Vitamin D supplement. The amount of Vitamin D in cereals varies widely by brand and type, though, so read the label carefully. The USDA found a range of Vitamin D levels in fortified cereals from 34 iu (about one-seventeenth of a daily dose) in corn flakes to 104 iu (about one-sixth a daily dose) in raisin bran.
Eggs
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brown eggs, one cracked with yolk
Two large eggs have about one-tenth of a daily dose of Vitamin D. Eggs from truly free-range chickens, like those many are raising in backyards these days, are often more tasty and nutritious than the factory farmed kind; unfortunately, the free-range label on eggs is virtually meaningless.
Egg Recipes:
> Gluten-Free Avocado, Mushroom and Spring Onion Frittata
> Florentine Frittata
> Egg Salad with Tarragon and Horseradish
> Turkey Sausage and Egg Strata
> Egg and Smoked Trout Salad
> Oil-Poached Halibut with Gribiche and Poached Eggs
> Spring Frittata
> Orange and Ginger Brûlée Custards
> Egg and Spinach Quiche
Don't forget, when you're done, to re-use those eggshells!
Mushrooms
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shiitake mushrooms
Mushrooms can have a significant amount of Vitamin D, but the amount varies widely by type. Shiitake mushrooms (pictured) have 45 iu – about one-thirteenth of a daily serving of Vitamin D. White mushrooms, on the other hand, have just 5 iu.
Mushroom Recipes:
> Asparagus with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bacon
> Bok Choy with Wood Ear and Shiitake Mushrooms
> Grilled Shiitake Mushrooms with Buckwheat Soba Noodles
> Immune Boosting Goji Berry and Shiitake Mushroom Soup
> Nora Pouillon's Crab and Shiitake Mushroom Cakes
> Beef Brisket with Shiitake, Porcini and White Mushrooms
> Terrific Tofu and Mushrooms
> Turkey, Mushroom and Vegetable Stir-Fry
Beef Liver
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beef liver
A 3-ounce portion of beef liver has more than 42 iu of Vitamin D – about one-fourteenth of a daily dose needed for someone who doesn't get much exposure to the sun. Beef is also one of the
best sources of Vitamin B-12 and organ meats are one of the
top sources of iron. If you're heading to the store for meat, look for
grassfed beef to take advantage of additional nutrition, and more sustainable farming practices.
Ricotta Cheese
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ricotta cheese
Ricotta cheese stands out among cheeses for its relatively high Vitamin D content. With 25 iu of Vitamin D, it would still take about 24 servings to get your daily dose solely from ricotta cheese (not recommended). That said, ricotta has about five times as much Vitamin D as most other cheeses.
Ricotta Cheese Recipes
> Ricotta-Green Onion Gnocchi
> Penne with Peas, Grape Tomatoes and Ricotta
> Creamy Rigatoni with Spinach
> Sweet Pea and Lemon-Ricotta Ravioli
> Emeril's Crostini with Ricotta and Spring Peas
> Whole Wheat Pita Pizzas with Vegetables
> Spring Pea Tortellini
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