Sun is an excellent source for Vitamin D. Spending time around 15 to 30 mins under sun, will give you enough vitamin D required for your body.
Vitamin D is an essential component of a healthy and balanced diet. Vitamin D plays a great role in the health and development of your body. Some of the benefits of Vitamin D include the following:
- Maintaining the Calcium Balance: This is particularly important for the maintenance of blood calcium levels within a narrow range for the normal functioning of nervous system, as well as for bone growth, and maintenance of bone density.
- Helps Cell Differentiation: This is important for performing specific functions in your body. Besides, there is a decrease in cellular proliferation which when uncontrolled may cause diseases like cancer.
- Boosting Your Immunity: Vitamin D gives enhances your immune system.
- Insulin Secretion: Vitamin D plays an important role in insulin secretion as well.
- Blood Pressure Regulation: The intake of sufficient amount of vitamin D also reduces the risk of high blood pressure.
Vitamin D forms a very essential component of our daily diet. The deficiency of the same can develop a number of problems including rickets, which leads to the softening of the bones and even bone fracture, a problem which is quite common amongst the children in developing countries. Yet another disease which signifies the important vitamin’s deficiency is and is evident through weakening of muscles and bone pain. Vitamin D is quite essential for calcium absorption and its deficiency can lead to low levels of calcium which is in turn responsible for numbness around the body parts, seizures, hand spasms, heart rhythm disturbances and many other health problems. Frequent fractures from minor injuries are yet another indicator of deficiency of vitamin D in people.
Here are some of the good sources for vitamin-D :
Sunlight
Sunlight is one of the most easy and finest source of vitamin D. UV rays from the sun are responsible for enhancing the vitamin D production in your skin. However there are certain factors which affect the vitamin D synthesis which include season, geographic latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen.
Cod Liver oil
Pure cod liver oil is yet another great source of vitamin D. Though the same has a very strong aroma but is a rich source of Vitamin D. In addition to vitamin D is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The oil keeps your bones strong and healthy. It is also responsible for preventing osteoporosis in adults, improving brain function and optimizing the functioning of the nervous system. 1 tablespoon of cod liver oil provides 340 percent of daily value.
Cooked Mackerel
Cooked mackerel is also a rich source of vitamin D. In fact, it has been recommended by FDA since such oily fishes add vitamins and omega-3 essential fatty acids to the diet which the body cannot produce on its own. 3 and half ounces of cooked mackerel are known to supplement 90 % daily value of vitamin D.
Cooked Salmon
Cooked salmon also adds vitamin D to your diet. However while purchasing it; you need to make sure that you get wild salmon or the variety which is sustainably farmed. Zooplankton which is eaten by salmon is a great source of vitamin D. Besides, salmon is cheaper and easily available. 3 and a half ounces of cooked salmon supplements 90 percent daily value of vitamin D.
Tuna Fish
Tuna fish is easily available and eating 3 ounces of tuna daily would help you furnish 50% of your Vitamin D needs. In fact, consuming fresh, wild-caught tuna would supplement you with most nutrients. This way you can avail lots of health benefits including better memory and brain function.
Eggs
Eggs are easily available round the year and are sources of vitamin D though in small amounts. Eating one egg daily would supplement your vitamin D needs. Vitamin D is present in egg yolk and supplements 6 percent daily value of vitamin D.
Milk
Milk is an easily available source of vitamin D. Anyone ranging from children to adults can add this to their daily diet and enjoy loads of benefits. 1 cup of fortified milk gives you 25% daily value of Vitamin D. The market is flooded with numerous varieties of fortified ready-to-eat cereals which are good sources of vitamin D. In fact, the amount of vitamin D present in these will vary from brand to brand so you need to be careful while choosing yours. ¾ cup to 1 cup servings of cereals fortified with 10% of daily value of vitamin D are sufficient for the day.
Cooked Beef Liver
Cooked beef liver is also a great source of vitamin D. In fact, this is one of the best foods for those who don’t get much exposure to the sun. Besides, it can also supplement your daily dose of Vitamin B-12 and of the iron. In fact, prefer buying grassfed beef which comes with tons of nutrients. 3 and a half ounces of the same furnishes 4% of daily value of vitamin D.
Shiitake Mushrooms
Consuming dried version of shiitake mushrooms would also supplement you with Vitamin D. This is because they suck in lot of vitamin D on being dried in the sun. In addition, you also intake B Vitamins like B1 & B2 which are also present in these mushrooms. However while buying these mushrooms you must take care that these have been dried in the sun and not by any artificial means to gain the benefits of Vitamin D.One cup of raw shiitake mushrooms (145 grams) contains 29.00 IU of vitamin D.
Considering the health benefits and problems posed because of the deficiency of vitamin D, it becomes important to consume the same in right quantities. The RDA developed by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences suggests the average daily intake of vitamin D to meet the nutritional requirements of people belonging to different age groups. Thus there are plenty of sources available for your daily intake of vitamin D. You can add cheaper sources of vitamin D to your diet and avail its benefits. A significant amount of vitamin D in your diet would keep you healthy and away from different ailments. So add it to your diet and enjoy a healthy living free from ailments!