Also known as the "sunshine vitamin," vitamin D is needed for your body to perform its daily functions and can be obtained through sun exposure or your diet. However, few foods in the typical American diet contain vitamin D, which makes it hard for people to get enough of this bone-strengthening vitamin. Eggs can serve as a vitamin D-containing food source but may have some drawbacks due to their high cholesterol levels.
Naturally Occurring Food Source
Eggs are one of a very few naturally occurring food sources that contain vitamin D. Other natural food sources include fatty fish, such as salmon. These foods tend to be higher in fat because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it is stored in the liver. To ensure Americans get enough vitamin D in their diets, vitamin D is added to many foods like milk and breakfast cereals.
Recommended Intake
To get the vitamin-D benefits out of your eggs, you must eat the yolk portion. While egg whites may be high in protein, they don't contain vitamin D. Since one large egg contains 41 IU of vitamin D, eating an egg satisfies about 10 percent of your daily value of vitamin D intake of 400 IU a day. This represents your adequate recommended intake, however. Eating 1,000 IU of vitamin D can help to reduce your risk of being diagnosed with certain cancers, including breast, colon and ovarian cancers. While you likely will not eat the 20-plus eggs it would take to reach this level, eggs can represent a good source of vitamin D in your daily diet.
Vitamin D Enhancements
In 2002, the average egg contained 18 IU of vitamin D, according to "Time" magazine. However, changes in feed for hens that incorporated a vitamin D supplement helped to boost overall vitamin D levels in eggs. The United States Department of Agriculture states that the average egg contains 41 IU of vitamin D.
Cholesterol Consideration
While eggs may be high in vitamin D, they tend to have a bad dietary reputation because they also are high in cholesterol. One egg contains roughly 185 mg of cholesterol, which is more than half your recommended daily cholesterol intake of 300 mg, according to "Time" magazine. For this reason, eggs are best enjoyed in the moderation, considering their vitamin D benefits and cholesterol levels.
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