Hugo L
Vitamin D has become one of the most sought after vitamins with more and more people experiencing symptoms related to vitamin D deficiency.
The major symptoms experienced because of vitamin D deficiency are related to bone health (as lower levels would negatively affect the calcium absorption), but now research has also proven that lack of vitamin D may also result in allergies and depression.
Frequent mood swings, fatigue and recurring cold have also become common symptoms experienced.
A lot of people use supplements to bring vitamin D levels up, even though they could have achieved the same thing naturally. Check out these 7 ways to boost the vitamin D levels naturally!.
7 Natural Vitamin D Boosters
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Sunlight – Sunlight is the major source of vitamin D. Your body absorbs vitamin D through skin whenever exposed to sunlight. Though this is the easiest way to get this vitamin, it is not always preferable as it may trigger the chances of skin cancer.
To avoid this, you can opt for mild sun exposure without sunscreen application. Using a sunscreen would stop the sunlight from helping to produce vitamin D in your body.
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Mushrooms – If you like mushrooms then there are some good news for you. Mushrooms, just like humans, produce vitamin D with the help of UV rays in sunlight. Portobello mushrooms would be a good choice as they are usually rich in vitamin D. There are specially enriched Portobello mushrooms that offer as much as 400 IU of this vitamin in one cup of mushroom.
Mushroom Vitamin D Be aware that not all mushrooms have sufficient content of vitamin D as some are grown indoors in darkness.
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Egg Yolks – Vitamin D in egg is present only in the yolk, so those strict on diet and using only egg whites would have to include yolk in their meals too.
Consuming one egg would offer 40 IU of vitamin D, but unfortunately also 200 mg cholesterol. As your daily permissible cholesterol intake should not be more than 300 mg for a healthy heart, make sure you don’t use eggs as your primary source of vitamin D.
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Fish – There are many types of fish that can be included in your diet to make it rich in vitamin D.
Some popular fish types are mackerel, eel, salmon, tuna, and trout. All these types of fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. So, if you use fish to meet your daily need of vitamin D then you are also fuelling your body with healthy fatty acids.
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Fortified Cereals – Fortified cereals are easy to find, good to eat, and they taste great. Added vitamin D in these cereals make them a healthy breakfast option.
You can make it even healthier by adding fortified milk and dry fruits. Cereals are low on fat, high on fiber, and rich in vitamin. You can make your meal tasty by adding some yogurt, a little bit of honey, or fresh fruits of your choice.
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Cod Liver Oil – If you don’t like fish, then maybe capsules of cod liver oil could come to your rescue.
According to studies, there is almost 1300 IU of vitamin D in one tablespoon of cod liver oil. The daily recommended dose is 600 IU, which is half of what you get from one tablespoon of cod liver oil. So using capsules are better as you get the oil in required dosage.
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Fortified Juices and Dairy – Check your nearest supermarket, and you will probably find it loaded with fortified varieties of juices and dairy. Fortified milk, cereals, orange juice, soy milk and various other varieties are loaded with vitamin D. Try to include more of these foods in your daily diet.
Research has concluded that we can get sufficient amount of vitamin D naturally, but that change of lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits have made us resort to supplements. Make sure that as far as possible you get your vitamins naturally so that they are absorbed well in your system.
