Foods With Vitamin D
Most foods with vitamin D, like milk, have been fortified with vitamin D as part of a program started by the United States back in the 1930s to boost vitamin D intake for Americans. Approximately 90 percent of all milk sold in the U.S. is fortified with 400 IU (international units) of vitamin D per quart.
There are not many foods with vitamin D, but there is one major source that nearly everyone is exposed to every day of their lives: the sun. In fact, sunlight is by far the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. The sun's UV rays cause a reaction in our skin that spurs the production of vitamin D.
We always hear that sunscreen is a must, but the use of sunscreen with an SPF of 8 or more blocks the UV rays that provide vitamin D to our skin. However, if you apply your sunscreen just 15 minutes after going outside, you will get all of the vitamin D you need and still be protected from the sun's harmful UV rays.
Vitamin D is vital for healthy bones and strong teeth, because it increases the amount of calcium our bodies absorb from the foods we eat. Vitamin D also helps maintain calcium levels in the blood and reduces the amount of calcium that is lost through urination.
There are a few good foods with vitamin D that should be included in a healthy diet:
• beef liver
• cod liver oil
• egg yolks
• fish, including mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna
• Swiss cheese
Foods that are fortified with vitamin D include milk, cereal and margarine. Other foods with vitamin D include anything that was made with vitamin D fortified milk, like pudding.
A diet high in foods with vitamin D or a regular vitamin D supplement is recommended for anyone who does not get regular sun exposure. In order to get the proper levels of vitamin D from the sun, there should be some sun exposure every day. People who live in northern states are advised to keep an eye on their vitamin D intake, because many wintry spots do not get enough sun between November and February.
The recommended daily allowance, or RDA, of vitamin D for adults is 200 IU per day. Adults between the ages of 50 and 70 should get 400 IU of vitamin D per day, and those over 71 should up their intake to 600 IU. This is because the need for calcium increases with age, and vitamin D is great for boosting calcium.
Vitamin D poisoning is extremely unlikely, with no symptoms of toxicity shown until the dose exceeds 40,000 IU per day. In fact, researchers have recently completed studies that showed that an above-average intake of vitamin D can lead to overall better health.