Best Sources Of Vitamin D

By Gabor Timis

The best source of Vitamin D is sunshine which can seriously increase your Vitamin D intake. In fact, this vitamin is also known as the sunshine vitamin.
Light from the sun rays hits the skin and stimulates the production of vitamin D.
Those of us in colder, cloudier climates, we need intake from the foods we eat.

Foods Containing Most Vitamin D

Cod Liver Oil
This fish oil is very rich in Vitamin D. It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
One tablespoon of cod liver oil provides enough Vitamin D for the day.

Herring
Herring are high in vitamin D because they thrive on plankton, which is full of the vitamin – through absorbtion of the sunlight.

Catfish
Another fish that feeds on plankton.

Sockeye Salmon
Wild caught salmon is the best, next is sustainably farmed salmon.

Oyster, Mollusks
The best are the Eastern, wild oysters.

Sardines
These tiny canned fish are also a great source for Vitamin B12, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and selenium.

Mackerel
Another good source of Vitamin D.

If you don’t like fish much, try these:

Milk
Choose organic milk.

Eggs
Choose organic, free-range eggs.

Shiitake & Button Mushrooms
The dried versions of shiitake mushrooms are high in Vitamin D.

It is a good idea to supplement with Vitamin D3 – cholecalciferol, especially in the fall and winter, and for elderly whose body cannot produce vitamin D from sunshine effectively.
Recommended dose is 2,000 IU daily.

Health Benefits of Vitamin D
There are many health benefits of this vitamin (some even call it a hormone):

- Prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes.
- Protection of your bones, teeth and hair.
- Regulation of cellular growth and healthy cell activity
- Reduction of the inflammatory response, a condition known to cause many chronic diseases, from cancer to diabetes to obesity.
- Protection against adult osteoporosis
- Reduction in the risk of breast cancer in perimenopausal women