Vitamin D is the only nutrient your body produces when exposed to sunlight.However, up to 50% of the world’s population may not get enough sun, and 40% of US residents are deficient in vitamin D. This is partly because people spend more time indoors, wear sunblock outside and eat a Western diet low in good sources of this vitamin.
The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) is 600 IU of vitamin D per day from foods. If you don’t get enough sunlight, your intake should likely be closer to 1,000 IU per day.Here are 9 healthy foods that are high in vitamin D.
1. Salmon
Salmon is a popular fatty fish and a great source of vitamin D.According to the USDA Food Composition Database, one 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of salmon contains between 361 and 685 IU of vitamin D.
However, it’s usually not specified whether the salmon was wild or farmed. This may not seem important, but it can make a big difference. On average, wild-caught salmon packs 988I
U of vitamin D per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving, or 165% of the RDI. Some studies have found even higher levels in wild salmon — up to 1,300 IU per serving.
However, farmed salmon contains only 25% of that amount. Still, a serving of farmed salmon provides about 250 IU of vitamin D, or 42% of the RDI.
