Promotes calcium absorption and bone health. Most people get it from sun exposure and fatty fish. FDA Daily Value: 20μg.
1–30 of 1,929 foods
Vitamin D regulates calcium and phosphorus absorption, making it inseparable from bone health, and it also participates in immune and muscle function. It is unusual among vitamins in being produced in skin exposed to UVB light.
Cod liver oil leads at 250μg per 100g — a supplement taken by the spoonful. What follows is more interesting: UV-exposed mushrooms reach 28–32μg per 100g, matching or beating oily fish.
Beyond that, the food supply is thin. Salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, egg yolk, and fortified milk carry most of what is available, which is why sunlight and fortification matter so much for this particular nutrient.
Daily intake reference (FDA Daily Value)
FDA Daily Value: 20μg (800 IU) per day. Skin synthesis varies enormously with latitude, season, skin tone, age, and sunscreen use, so dietary needs are highly individual.
UV-exposed mushrooms are the plant option
Mushrooms contain ergosterol, which converts to vitamin D2 under UV light. Crimini and portabella labeled UV-exposed reach 28–32μg per 100g — the only substantial non-animal food source.
Oily fish, not lean fish
Vitamin D is fat-soluble and concentrates in fatty tissue. Salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring carry meaningful amounts; cod, tilapia, and other lean whitefish carry very little.
Pair it with calcium, not instead of it
Vitamin D exists dietarily to make calcium usable. Milk fortified with vitamin D is a deliberate pairing, and taking one without the other undercuts the point.
Q. Can I get enough vitamin D from food alone?
A. It is difficult. Outside oily fish, UV-exposed mushrooms, and fortified products, very little food contains it. For many people sun exposure or supplementation carries most of the load, especially in winter at higher latitudes.
Q. Are mushrooms really a good source?
A. Only if they have been exposed to UV light — either by the grower or by leaving them in sunlight before cooking. Ordinary white button mushrooms grown in the dark contain almost none.
Q. Is more vitamin D always better?
A. No. It is fat-soluble and accumulates, and very high supplemental intakes can cause hypercalcemia. A tolerable upper intake level exists for exactly this reason.
Related Products & Books
These are unpaid product suggestions. NutriDB is not an affiliate of these retailers and receives no commission from these links.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central (Public Domain) — fdc.nal.usda.gov