Vitamin D is an important vitamin that helps absorb calcium in your body. In addition, it maintains a healthy level of calcium and calcium phosphate in your body, essential for growing and maintaining strong and healthy bones. This vitamin can be found naturally in some foods, received from sunlight exposure or obtained in a supplement. Some foods are also fortified with vitamin D and consuming these foods can help boost your intake. According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 600 IU, or 15 mcg, for adults.
Natural Food Sources of Vitamin D
It is important to know that some foods naturally contain vitamin D. However, there are not many and this is why some foods are now fortified with this essential vitamin. The best sources of vitamin D include the flesh of fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, and fish liver oils, according to the National Institutes of Health. You can find small quantities of vitamin D in foods such as cheese, egg yolks, and beef liver. Some mushrooms may also contain varying quantities of this vitamin.
Fortified Milk
Fortified foods comprise most of the vitamin D available to Americans. Most of the milk in the U.S. is fortified with 100 IU of vitamin per cup. A milk fortification program began in the 1930s in order to prevent rickets, a condition characterized by bone weakness and disease in children. Other dairy products such as cream and cheese are not supplemented with this vitamin. You should check labels to be sure.
Beverages and Grains
Some of the beverages and grain products you consume can be fortified with vitamin D. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, one packet of instant oatmeal can supply you with 154 IU of vitamin D, while a 1-cup serving of fortified cereal can supply you with 40 to 50 IU. In addition, a 1-cup serving of fortified orange juice contains 100 IU and a 1-cup serving of fortified soy milk contains 100 IU.
Infant Formula
Both the United States and Canada now fortify infant formula with vitamin D. According to the National Institutes of Health, the mandatory quantity of vitamin D added to infant formula in the United States is 40 to 100 IU per 100 kcal intake; the mandatory quantity in Canada is 40 to 80 IU per 100 100 kcal intake. This can help boost an infant's intake of this vitamin and aid in the development and maintenance of strong, healthy bones.
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