Foods with Vitamin D3

Calcium With D

Foods that contain vitamin D3 are few and far between. Natural foods that contain the highest amounts of vitamin D3 are foods most Americans do not like to eat like fish, fish liver, fish oil, and egg yolks. We can get vitamin D3 from sun exposure, but most of us are "stuck" indoors behind desks most of the day. There is also a fear of skin cancer so we slather on the sunblock; even a low level SPF can block up to 95% of the sun's rays we need to produce this crucial vitamin, which is also a hormone.

Calcium With D

The preferred form of vitamin D is vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. This is the more potent form of vitamin D that the human body makes with exposure to sunlight. Our bodies need vitamin D3 for a variety of functions. When enough vitamin D3 is present, your body is better able to absorb and use calcium and phosphorus which help strengthen bones and teeth reducing the risk for osteoporosis and rickets (softening of the bones due to D deficiency) in children.

Getting plenty of food with vitamin D3 also allows your body's immune system to function properly, helps to regulate the function of the parathyroid gland, which can help balance moods; it supports healthy heart function and healthy cell development, as well as colon, breast, and prostate health and can help boost energy levels and cognitive function.

Incorporating vitamin D foods into everyday diets can be fun and interesting. Since there are not many foods, I will list the foods with the most D3 available. Levels of D are measured in International Units or IU and RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) or DV (Daily Value).

Foods Rich in Vitamin D

• Cod liver oil comes in on top
• Herring
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Wild Raw Eastern Mollusks and oysters
• Sardines
• Tuna Fish
• Milk - vitamin D fortified nonfat, reduced fat and whole
• fortified Margarine
• 1 whole egg yolk
• fortified juices like Orange Juice
• Beef Liver
• Mushrooms (especially ones dried in the sun)
• Fortified Yogurt
• Fortified cheeses

When You Don't Eat Enough Food with Vitamin D3

By not eating enough foods rich in vitamin D3 your body can suffer some debilitating sicknesses such as obesity, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, kidney stones (from lack of calcium absorption), aches and pains that don't go away, osteoporosis (the most well-known), chronic fatigue syndrome, neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, and maybe even cancer.

Finding ways to eat more foods rich in vitamin d everyday will help your overall health improve. Let's face it, though, eating some of these foods more than once is not going to happen for some of us. A high quality D3 vitamin supplement along with other trace minerals is a good way to make sure you are getting the D3 you need.

What Foods Contain Vitamin D3

Calcium With D