Standing in the sun on a regular basis can give you the vitamin D you need. Unlike other vitamins collected from the diet, vitamin D is synthesized in the skin. It is an important vitamin for calcium absorption in the intestines, and helps with bone formation and growth, as well as the breakdown and buildup of tissues. Bones Additionally, Vitamin D is also linked to your mood and a stronger immune system so this leads us to the question How much do you need to reap these benefits? And should you take vitamin D supplements regularly?
American Dr. Amy Judson, author of the book The Sports Nutrition Playbook According to the website, eatthis“You have to be exposed to the sun for 15 to 20 minutes in order to get enough vitamin D on a regular basis.
But what if your circumstance does not allow for exposure to sunlight? Goodson says you should aim for 800 IU (IU) of vitamin D per day from food, which is equivalent to 20 micrograms.
How to get vitamin D from foods
While getting vitamin D from the sun is an easy way to synthesize the vitamin, so it can be hard to find sources of vitamin D in food however, there are a few foods rich in vitamin D that you can incorporate regularly into your system. Diet if you are not able to get enough sunlight throughout the week.
Fatty fish are among the most important sources of vitamin D, including salmon, sardines, herring, and canned tuna.
salmon fillet
A piece (100 grams) of salmon provides 526 IU of vitamin D or 66% of the daily value. It is important to note that wild salmon usually contains a higher amount of vitamin D than farmed salmon, but both provide it.
For plant foods, mushrooms are the only plant food that can provide vitamin D. That’s because when the skin of a wild mushroom is exposed to the sun, it can provide up to 2,300 IU per 3.5-ounce serving — that’s 288% of the DV your own, according to a study from Food and Chemical Toxicology.
Not to overdo it, Dr. Goodson stressed, the Dietary Reference Intake sets an upper tolerable limit of 4,000 IU per day.
What about supplements?
While many experts say it’s important to get vitamins and minerals naturally from food (or in this case, the sun), it can be difficult for some to get the right amount of vitamin D on a daily basis.
Choosing a vitamin D supplement containing at least 800 IU per day may be a good place to start, and if you are concerned about the vitamin D deficiency you are getting daily, it is also essential to talk to your doctor about choosing if supplementation is right for you.