What foods can you get vitamin D from? We all have to ask ourselves this simple question: integrating this vitamin is very important for health and it is absolutely necessary to avoid that the body is deficient in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.
Fortunately, there are many foods that contain vitamin D and are easily found on our tables. Awareness of their role can lead to an improvement in the body's functions and a series of benefits that involve the whole person.
Ready to take notes to make the shopping list in favor of your health? So here are the reasons for making it a daily element in the ordinary diet and foods with the highest vitamin D content.
Why Supplement Vitamin D?
Perhaps not everyone knows that the 50% of the world's population lacks vitamin D. This is a very worrying fact that must push everyone to know the need to integrate it into our lives. For this, let's try to list its benefits:
- Improve bone health
- Strengthens the immune defences
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- It decreases the risks of contracting cancer
- Promotes muscle function
- Balances phosphorus and calcium levels in the blood
Vitamin D belongs to the so-called fat-soluble vitamins. It can be produced by our body through sun exposure and can be integrated with suitable vitamin D supplements and with nutrition. In this article we focus attention on this last point by trying to define foods that contain vitamin D.
Foods rich in vitamin D
Vitamin D: where is it found? We help you rediscover 6 foods that you can't help but have in the fridge or in the pantry, to provide the body with the right amount of nutrients and vitamins, especially type D which is the object of our attention.
- Oily fish and shellfish
Oily fish are one of the foods that contain enough vitamin D. We are talking about sardines, mackerel, salmon, herring, swordfish and trout. Stocking up on oily fish also helps provide essential fatty acids like omega 3, which are great for your health.
And then there are shellfish, especially prawns, which lend themselves perfectly to preparing delicious vitamin D-based recipes!
- Fish oil
Have any of you ever tried fish oil? Surely someone has heard of cod liver oil which has a very high concentration of vitamin D and is also used in many medical preparations aimed at improving bone health, especially in the most debilitated children. In addition, it also contains omega 3 and vitamin A.
- Egg
Do you like eggs? Then remember to eat them at least twice a week because they are rich in vitamin D. In particular we are talking about the egg yolk which is the part that contains the most. However, those suffering from high cholesterol must be careful as eggs also contain a fairly high percentage of saturated fat.
- Milk and dairy products
Fatty cheeses, milk and yoghurt are a good source of vitamin D. These foods should be integrated every day, especially in childhood, and their intake should be varied as needed. If you like whole yogurt, it is the ideal snack for those who need probiotics and vitamin D.
- Mushrooms
Among the vegetables, in our list we find dried mushrooms. The reason is simple: they are subject to a long exposure to the sun which gives them the vitamin contribution that occurs during drying. So let your imagination run wild in the kitchen: mushrooms are a tasty side dish or can enrich your dishes both vegetarian and in your usual recipes.
- Chocolate and cocoa
And for those with a sweet tooth, we add chocolate and cocoa to foods that contain vitamin D. In particular they contain vitamin D2. Here too it depends on the drying process as for mushrooms: this time, however, the beans exposed to the sun are used. If you have to choose, buy dark chocolate without hesitation, excellent for weight loss as well as for supplementing vitamin D.
What if you don't integrate enough with these foods?
As anticipated, vitamin D deficiency is not healthy for humans. It can in fact cause the onset of some diseases or disorders that compromise the normal activities of everyday life and cause imbalances in the body. Here are some of the most frequent consequences:
- Fatigue
- Persistent tiredness
- Ease of getting sick
- Widespread pain in the bones
- Backache
- Muscle problems
- Mood swings
- Hair loss
Vitamin D deficiency does not only depend on the type of diet, but also on other factors such as overweight, obesity and poor exposure to sunlight. If the tests show that the deficiency is serious, then food is no longer enough to guarantee the necessary needs and appropriate vitamin D supplements must also be used.
In summary
We understand the importance of vitamin D for optimal health in adults and for healthy and strong growth in children.
Foods rich in vitamin D are quite simple to find, from fish to dairy products, from eggs to chocolate, but small percentages can also be found in other foods that are not on our list.
Among these we mention some types of broad-leaved vegetables. Therefore, even with minimal amounts of vitamin D, it is advisable to take advantage of foods such as broccoli, chicory, curly kale to prepare delicious salads. Unfortunately we do not find even small percentages in fruit, which however contains other important nutrients and must therefore not be missing for a balanced and balanced diet.
Finally, here's a valuable piece of advice: if your doctor advises you to combine vitamin D supplements with foods, do not abuse them, otherwise you risk incurring other unpleasant consequences: nausea and vomiting, kidney problems, poor appetite, confusion and tachycardia.
And if you are wondering how to understand if your vitamin D level is sufficient or needs to be supplemented, we will immediately reply that you can find out through a blood test, the values of which must indicate a percentage between 2 and 50 ng/ ml.
A check from time to time helps prevent disturbances and problems!
