"My Doctor Says I'm Low on Vitamin D"

Add that to the list of Top 10 Things People Say When They Find Out I'm A Dietitian. It is usually followed by some version of "So, what foods have vitamin D in them?" or "So, how do I get more vitamin D?"

Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium. Calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus work together to build and remodel bones. So, vitamin D is important for the health of your bones and teeth.

Vitamin D is unique in that our bodies can make it following exposure to the sun. The catch is that while the amount of sun exposure we need may be as little as 5-30 minutes on arms and legs twice a week, experts are still trying to figure out how much sun is enough, especially since the efficiency of sun exposure is affected by time of day, season of year, geography, sunscreen and even skin color.



Very few foods are natural sources of vitamin D but it does occur naturally in egg yolks, beef liver and some fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon. A number of other foods are fortified with vitamin D, like milk, orange juice, breakfast cereals and non-dairy milks. You can also find vitamin D in some cheeses, yogurts, butters and margarines (but leave that spread behind if it's got partially hydrogenated oils). Just check the label!

Whenever possible, I prefer to get my vitamins and minerals from food sources rather than supplements. If dietary sources of vitamin D aren't available or don't appeal to you, and you plan on shopping around for supplements, be aware of recommended daily amounts and upper limits. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, most adults need about 600 IU a day of vitamin D and the tolerable upper limit for most adults is 4000 IU per day.

Since I'm still vegan (two weeks left until Easter), I decided to look into vegan sources of vitamin D. This page from the Vegetarian Resource Group includes lists of vegan dietary supplements and vitamin D fortified plant milks.

Cheers!
Diane

Further Reading and Sources:
Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D - Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health
Vitamin D - Eat Right, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Food and Nutrition Information Center: Vitamin D - United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Dietary Reference Intakes: RDAs - Nutrition.gov
FAQs about Vitamin D - The Vegetarian Resource Group
Why Do Products Say They Have No Trans Fat, But I See Hydrogenated Oil Listed in the Ingredients? - Eat Right, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics


Image credit: Ask the Nutritionist: What Are the Best Food Sources of Vitamin D? - ParentMap.com

Add that to the list of Top 10 Things People Say When They Find Out I'm A Dietitian. It is usually followed by some version of "So, what foods have vitamin D in them?" or "So, how do I get more vitamin D?"

Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium. Calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus work together to build and remodel bones. So, vitamin D is important for the health of your bones and teeth.

Vitamin D is unique in that our bodies can make it following exposure to the sun. The catch is that while the amount of sun exposure we need may be as little as 5-30 minutes on arms and legs twice a week, experts are still trying to figure out how much sun is enough, especially since the efficiency of sun exposure is affected by time of day, season of year, geography, sunscreen and even skin color.



Very few foods are natural sources of vitamin D but it does occur naturally in egg yolks, beef liver and some fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon. A number of other foods are fortified with vitamin D, like milk, orange juice, breakfast cereals and non-dairy milks. You can also find vitamin D in some cheeses, yogurts, butters and margarines (but leave that spread behind if it's got partially hydrogenated oils). Just check the label!

Whenever possible, I prefer to get my vitamins and minerals from food sources rather than supplements. If dietary sources of vitamin D aren't available or don't appeal to you, and you plan on shopping around for supplements, be aware of recommended daily amounts and upper limits. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, most adults need about 600 IU a day of vitamin D and the tolerable upper limit for most adults is 4000 IU per day.

Since I'm still vegan (two weeks left until Easter), I decided to look into vegan sources of vitamin D. This page from the Vegetarian Resource Group includes lists of vegan dietary supplements and vitamin D fortified plant milks.

Cheers!
Diane

Further Reading and Sources:
Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D - Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health
Vitamin D - Eat Right, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Food and Nutrition Information Center: Vitamin D - United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Dietary Reference Intakes: RDAs - Nutrition.gov
FAQs about Vitamin D - The Vegetarian Resource Group
Why Do Products Say They Have No Trans Fat, But I See Hydrogenated Oil Listed in the Ingredients? - Eat Right, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics


Image credit: Ask the Nutritionist: What Are the Best Food Sources of Vitamin D? - ParentMap.com