Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsProtein SourcesFruits and VegetablesDairy and Non-Dairy SourcesDaily RequirementFortified Foods DebateWhile Food SourcesVitamin D Deficiency
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Protein Sources
Fruits and Vegetables
Dairy and Non-Dairy Sources
Daily Requirement
Fortified Foods Debate
While Food Sources
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is an essential micronutrient that helps your body to absorbcalcium, which protects the health of your bones and teeth.It also reduces inflammation, regulates blood sugar, increases phosphate absorption, prevents muscle weakness and spasms, and boosts the body’s natural immune response. Our bodies producevitamin Din response to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. But in the U.S., many people don’t get enough vitamin D from sunlight.
Foods rich in vitamin D include fatty fish, fish liver oils, beef liver, and egg yolks, among others. Other foods, such as milk and breakfast cereal, are often fortified with vitamin D – meaning that it is added to them during manufacturing.
Learn more about foods that contain vitamin D, including proteins, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and more.
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Protein Rich in Vitamin D
Oily,fatty fishare one of the best food sources of vitamin D. Examples of proteins that are rich in vitamin D include:
Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Vitamin D
Generally, fruits and vegetables don’t provide any vitamin D.
Still, certain fungi, such as reindeer lichen and mushrooms, absorb vitamin D through exposure to UV radiation during growth. Raw shiitake, chanterelle, and oyster mushrooms are particularly rich sources of vitamin D.
Dairy (and Non-Dairy) Rich in Vitamin D
Dairy and egg products are another common source of vitamin D. Some, like cow’s milk, are typically fortified with vitamin D, while it occurs naturally in others, such as butter and cheese.
Examples include:
Other Sources of Vitamin DOutside of meat, dairy products, and fruits and vegetables, other edible sources of vitamin D include:Fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil – one of the top sources of vitamin DDark chocolate
Other Sources of Vitamin D
Outside of meat, dairy products, and fruits and vegetables, other edible sources of vitamin D include:Fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil – one of the top sources of vitamin DDark chocolate
Outside of meat, dairy products, and fruits and vegetables, other edible sources of vitamin D include:
How Much Vitamin D Should You Get Daily?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is as follows (listed in both International Units and micrograms):
Debate on Fortified Foods Rich in Vitamin D
In addition to some of the dairy products listed above, many other foods are fortified with vitamin D. Typically, these include:
Many foods are fortified with vitamin D because of the relatively few foods that have naturally high amounts of it. Some clinicians argue that this is beneficial in preventing vitamin D deficiency and increasing the vitamin D intake in the general population, particularly among people with food allergies and those who follow vegan or vegetarian diets.
However, the practice is somewhat controversial. Some researchers have argued that eating fortified foods may lead to excessive vitamin D intake, known asvitamin D toxicity.Signs of vitamin D toxicity include:
Consuming too much vitamin D may also lead tohypercalcemia(very high levels of calcium in the blood). Over time, hypercalcemia may lead to complications such as:
Getting Vitamin D From Whole Foods
Because most whole foods don’t contain much vitamin D without the help of fortification, many people take in vitamin D primarily through sun exposure.
However, excessive sun exposure can also lead to health complications like sunburn andskin cancer. If you think you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency, your healthcare provider may recommend that you take a daily vitamin D supplement to lower your risk.
Vitamin D Supplements
If you are at risk for vitamin D deficiency,vitamin D supplementsmay help to prevent any complications. Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency include:
Am I Getting Enough Vitamin D From My Diet?
If left untreated, a deficiency in vitamin D can lead to a number of health complications. These include:
Vitamin D deficiency typically doesn’t cause many symptomsat first. The main way to tell if you have a vitamin D deficiency is through a blood test from your healthcare provider.
Summary
People can get vitamin D from sunlight, food, and supplements. Food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish and fish liver oils, beef liver, egg yolks, cheese, and mushrooms. Certain foods, like cow’s milk, non-dairy milk, breakfast cereals, and orange juice, are also frequently fortified with vitamin D.
Let your healthcare provider know if you’re not sure you’re getting enough vitamin D each day. They can recommend dietary sources of vitamin D or prescribe a high-dose supplement if needed.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Health Service.Vitamin D.National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D - fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: Fact sheet for health professionals.Dominguez LJ, Farruggia M, Veronese N, Barbagallo M.Vitamin D sources, metabolism, and deficiency: Available compounds and guidelines for its treatment.Metabolites. 2021;11(4):255. doi:10.3390/metabo11040255Cardwell G, Bornman JF, James AP, Black LJ.A review of mushrooms as a potential source of dietary vitamin D.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1498. doi:10.3390/nu10101498. PMID: 30322118; PMCID: PMC6213178Benedik E.Sources of vitamin D for humans.Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2022;92(2):118-125. doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000733National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D - fact sheet for consumers.Adebayo FA, Itkonen ST, Öhman T, et al.Safety of vitamin D food fortification and supplementation: Evidence from randomized controlled trials and observational studies.Foods. 2021;10(12):3065. doi:10.3390/foods10123065MedlinePlus.Vitamin D deficiency.MedlinePlus.Vitamin D.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Health Service.Vitamin D.National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D - fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: Fact sheet for health professionals.Dominguez LJ, Farruggia M, Veronese N, Barbagallo M.Vitamin D sources, metabolism, and deficiency: Available compounds and guidelines for its treatment.Metabolites. 2021;11(4):255. doi:10.3390/metabo11040255Cardwell G, Bornman JF, James AP, Black LJ.A review of mushrooms as a potential source of dietary vitamin D.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1498. doi:10.3390/nu10101498. PMID: 30322118; PMCID: PMC6213178Benedik E.Sources of vitamin D for humans.Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2022;92(2):118-125. doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000733National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D - fact sheet for consumers.Adebayo FA, Itkonen ST, Öhman T, et al.Safety of vitamin D food fortification and supplementation: Evidence from randomized controlled trials and observational studies.Foods. 2021;10(12):3065. doi:10.3390/foods10123065MedlinePlus.Vitamin D deficiency.MedlinePlus.Vitamin D.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Health Service.Vitamin D.National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D - fact sheet for health professionals.National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: Fact sheet for health professionals.Dominguez LJ, Farruggia M, Veronese N, Barbagallo M.Vitamin D sources, metabolism, and deficiency: Available compounds and guidelines for its treatment.Metabolites. 2021;11(4):255. doi:10.3390/metabo11040255Cardwell G, Bornman JF, James AP, Black LJ.A review of mushrooms as a potential source of dietary vitamin D.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1498. doi:10.3390/nu10101498. PMID: 30322118; PMCID: PMC6213178Benedik E.Sources of vitamin D for humans.Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2022;92(2):118-125. doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000733National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D - fact sheet for consumers.Adebayo FA, Itkonen ST, Öhman T, et al.Safety of vitamin D food fortification and supplementation: Evidence from randomized controlled trials and observational studies.Foods. 2021;10(12):3065. doi:10.3390/foods10123065MedlinePlus.Vitamin D deficiency.MedlinePlus.Vitamin D.
National Health Service.Vitamin D.
National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D - fact sheet for health professionals.
National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: Fact sheet for health professionals.
Dominguez LJ, Farruggia M, Veronese N, Barbagallo M.Vitamin D sources, metabolism, and deficiency: Available compounds and guidelines for its treatment.Metabolites. 2021;11(4):255. doi:10.3390/metabo11040255
Cardwell G, Bornman JF, James AP, Black LJ.A review of mushrooms as a potential source of dietary vitamin D.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1498. doi:10.3390/nu10101498. PMID: 30322118; PMCID: PMC6213178
Benedik E.Sources of vitamin D for humans.Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2022;92(2):118-125. doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000733
National Institutes of Health - Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D - fact sheet for consumers.
Adebayo FA, Itkonen ST, Öhman T, et al.Safety of vitamin D food fortification and supplementation: Evidence from randomized controlled trials and observational studies.Foods. 2021;10(12):3065. doi:10.3390/foods10123065
MedlinePlus.Vitamin D deficiency.
MedlinePlus.Vitamin D.
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