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Vitamin D Foods
The following is a list of vitamin D foods that could be consumed in addition to supplementing with vitamin D pills and/or getting exposure to the sun.
Why you may ask?
Firstly, the amount of vitamin D in most foods is quite minimal compared to the amount of vitamin D required for optimal health, which ranges from 1,000-2,000 IU.
Secondly, the best form of vitamin D, is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), not vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). Vitamin D2 is a synthetic form of vitamin D. Unfortunately, Vitamin D2 is what they put our milk, orange juice, margarine, and other plant milks. The fortification of milk and other dairy products is known not to raise vitamin D blood levels due to absorption problems. This is why it's important that you take vitamin D pills if you are deficient in this particular vitamin, higher quality and better absorption.
With these two caveats in mind, here are the foods richest in vitamin D..
| Vitamin D Foods | Vitamin D Per Serving (in IUs) |
|---|---|
| Cod Liver Oil (1 tablespoon, 14 grams) | 1,351 |
| Herring, raw (3 oz, 85 grams) | 1,384 |
| Salmon, canned (3 oz, 85 grams) | 650 |
| Halibut, raw (3 oz, 85 grams) | 511 |
| Catfish, raw (3 oz, 85 grams) | 425 |
| Mackerel, raw (3 oz, 85 grams) | 306 |
| Oysters, raw (6 medium, 84 grams) | 269 |
| Sardines, canned (1 can, 92 grams) | 250 |
| Evaporated Milk, canned (1 cup, 256 grams) | 205 |
| Steelhead Trout, canned (1 can, 28 grams) | 169 |
| Cereal, Quaker Instant Oatmeal Nutrition for Women (1 packet, 45 grams) | 154-158 |
| Orange Juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D, concentrate (1 cup, 249 grams) | 142 |
| Shrimp, crustaoceans (3 oz, 85 grams) | 130 |
| Milk, 1% (1 cup, 245 grams) | 128 |
Naysoya Lite Firm Tofu* (1 serving, 79 grams) |
126 |
| SILK, soymilk (1 cup, 243 grams) | 119 |
| Cereal, Kellogg's All-Bran (1 cup, 52 grams) | 110 |
| Milk, fat free/skim (1 cup, 245 grams) | 99 |
| Vitasoy, soymilk (1 cup, 245 grams) | 81 |
| Margarine fortified with Vitamin D (1 tablespoon, 14 grams) | 60 |
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Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D Foods
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