Foods High In Vitamin D Hydroxy

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which is essential for calcium regulation in your body.

Vitamin D works closely with the parathyroid hormone to regulate your body's use of calcium and phosphorus. If your vitamin D intake is low, you will have low calcification of your bones and teeth, even with sufficient calcium intake.

In addition, vitamin D has been used to relieve muscles spasms due to anxiety, menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, depression, enhance immune function and reduce inflammation.

Fish

The natural food sources that contain the highest amounts of vitamin D are fish and fish products. For each 100-gram serving, cod liver oil has 10,001 IU, or international unit, of vitamin D, herring 1,628 IU, salmon 763 IU, trout 628 IU, halibut 600 IU, catfish 500 IU and sardines 480 IU.

Meats

Because vitamin D is processed in the liver and kidneys, these organ meats in land animals have higher values at 32 IU per 100g compared to other cuts of meat.

Processed meats, which combine various organs and cuts of meat, contain more vitamin D per serving. Some of these include salami, ranging from 32 to 62 IU; bologna at 32 to 56 IU; pork sausage 28 to 47 IU; and hot dogs at approximately 36 IU.

Eggs

Eggs are another natural source of vitamin D, which is contained in the yolk.

One whole egg has approximately 35 IU of vitamin D.

Fortified Dairy

In the 1930s, the United States began fortifying milk with vitamin D to cure rickets, a disease that softens and weakens the bones.

The majority of the US milk supply is fortified with 100 IU per cup. Typically, ice cream and cheese are not fortified; however, some brands of yogurt are.

Fortified food sources, such as milk and cereal, provide most of dietary supply of vitamin D in the American diet. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there is evidence showing that "vitamin D is stable and bioavailable" from fortified foods.

Fortified Cereals

While grains are not a natural source of vitamin D, the United States does allow fortification of cereal flours. There are over 160 breakfast cereals in the Nutrition Data database which contain vitamin D. Quaker Instant Oatmeal "Nutrition For Women" has the highest amount of vitamin D at 342 IU.

Some other ready-to-eat breakfast cereals include Malt-O-Meal High-Fiber Bran Flakes; Kellogg's All Bran With Extra Fiber; General Mills Berry Burst Cheerios; and Kraft Fruity Pebbles.

Other Sources

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that there are people who are at higher risk for vitamin D insufficiency due to reduced consumption of dairy and cereals. For these individuals, juices fortified with calcium and vitamin D are a viable option.

Other fortified sources of vitamin D include some margarine and infant formula.