Best Foods That Are High in Vitamin D
Food packages list vitamin D as a percentage of daily value (DV). Aim for 800 IU/day. Ask your doctor if you need a supplement for deficiency.
Wild salmon has more Vit D than farmed, but both are good sources. Farmed: 66% DV per 3.5oz, Wild: up to 160% DV per 3.5oz.
Herring has 214 IU of Vit D per 3.5 oz serving. Sardines, pickled herring, halibut & mackerel are other Vit D rich options.
A teaspoon (4.9 mL) of cod liver oil contains 450 IU of vitamin D, or 56% of the DV. It's also high in nutrients like vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids.
Each serving of canned tuna contains 269 IU of vitamin D. To avoid methylmercury buildup, use light tuna and limit yourself to one serving per week.
Commercial eggs have 37 IU vit D per yolk, but outdoor/free-range or vit D enriched feed hens lay eggs with higher vit D levels.
When exposed to UV radiation, mushrooms can manufacture vitamin D2. Vitamin D is only found in wild mushrooms or mushrooms treated with UV radiation.
Vitamin D sources are limited for vegetarians and non-fish eaters, but fortified foods offer a solution to get the needed nutrient.