HEALTHY EATING - The Top 10 Vitamin D Foods

By Douglas Robb

I love Vitamin D.

• It keeps me happy during cold, dark Canadian winters
• It keeps my bones & teeth strong
• It keeps my immune system in tip top shape
• And it’s helping me live longer

And if that wasn’t enough, it’s also being studied for it’s positive effects on Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, asthma, cardiovascular disease, MS, etc….

It’s a super-vitamin.

And if you’re the kind of person who refuses to get their daily dose of Vitamin D (600-800 IU) from a bottle of pills or by tanning without sunblock,  it’s also conveniently available in the following super-yummy food sources.

The Top 10 Vitamin D Foods

1. Trout, cooked  – (85 grams) – 645 IU Vitamin D
2. Swordfish, cooked  - 1 piece (106 grams) – 706 IU Vitamin D
3. Salmon, pink, canned, 1 can – (85 grams) – 465 IU Vitamin D
4. Salmon, cooked - 1/2 fillet (155 grams) – 815 IU Vitamin D
5. Tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids – (85 grams) – 229 IU Vitamin D
6. Halibut, cooked – (85 grams) – 196 IU Vitamin D
7. Herring, pickled – (85 grams) – 96 IU Vitamin D
8. Pork, spareribs, cooked, lean and fat – (85 grams) – 88 IU Vitamin D
9. Egg, whole, raw, fresh, 1 extra large –  (58 grams) – 48 IU Vitamin D
10. Clam Chowder, canned, made with 2% milk – 1 cup (248 grams) – 62 IU Vitamin D

Vitamin D Supplements

For those of you who prefer pills over eating stinky old fish, there are ways to supplement your diet with Vitamin D

• Milk products with added Vitamin D
• Breakfast Cereals with added Vitamin D
• Fish Oil supplements – cod liver, halibut, blends
• Liquid (drops) or capsule Vitamin D supplements

Note – Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. That means that if you mega-dose (50,000 IU per day for several months) on Vitamin D, the excess will be stored in your body-fat, and can lead to Vitamin D toxicity.

That is why the recommended upper level for adult Vitamin D consumption is 10,000 IU per day.

If you’re concerned you may be getting too much supplemental Vitamin D, please consult your doctor.