Vitamin D rich foods are found in two forms. You can get vitamin d from food sources but only a few foods provide it naturally. The fat content in these foods make it hard for our bodies to absorb the vitamin. Some of these foods also contain iron, which is good for us. Some of these foods have a high concentration of vitamin D and some contain little amounts of it.
VITAMIN D SOURCES
It is good to know that sun exposure provides natural sources of vitamin D. The natural source of this vitamin is sunlight. In the summer months it is easy to obtain healthy vitamin D from natural sources like sunlight. In winter season only the northern hemisphere is subjected to natural sunlight. In the winter season the snow reflects the sunlight and does not provide healthy vitamin D for us. The availability of sunlight depends on the place.
Vitamin D and calcium are not formed in our body; these two vitamins have to be obtained from our diet. In order to get the required quantity of these two vitamins we need to eat foods that have adequate amounts of these two minerals. Usually people are not aware of the deficiency of these two minerals in their body. So, when they think about a vitamin or a calcium supplement they think about the supplements only. The fact is both these minerals are present in small quantity in our food.
VITAMIN D RICH FOOD
Vit D rich foods are found in two forms either in fruits or vegetables. Fruits and vegetables consist of plenty of vitamins and nutrients, which can help us in maintaining good health. Vitamin D is found in its natural form in the sea cod, sardines, trout, salmon, Herring and halibut. So it is best to consume sea foods if you want to get vitamin d in your daily diet. Also the consumption of dairy products like milk, cheese, yoghurt and cottage cheese is also beneficial for getting vit d.
WHY VITAMIN D IS IMPORTANT
Vita D is essential to keep our bones strong and healthy and in order to get enough vitamin d we need to expose ourselves regularly to the sun. The exposure to the sun helps to produce vitamin d by converting cholesterol into its active form. Sunlight is the best source of vitamin d. Also, exposure to the sun will help to burn the fat present under the skin.
Vit D deficiency has been found to be very common in U.S. It is a fact that the elderly are more likely to be deficient of vit d. This deficiency may be due to various reasons like lack of routine exercise, insufficient exposure to sunlight, chronic illness, low levels of vit d in blood, etc. Vit d deficiency can lead to many complications like osteoporosis, rickets, depression, etc. Its deficiency can also cause severe musculoskeletal diseases, high blood pressure, muscular weakness, insomnia, frequent urination, and constipation.
HOW TO AVOID VIT-D DEFICIENCY
Vit D deficiency can be easily avoided by eating vitamin-rich food as listed above. But sometimes the lack of vitamin d does not occur due to other reasons and it is here when the role of vit d supplement comes into play. If you feel that you are not getting enough vitamins and it is recommended that you take vitamin d supplements either in the form of vitamin d supplements or vitamin d pills.
Vit D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it is only found in foods that are fat-soluble. The best fat-soluble foods include cod liver oil, oily fish, walnuts, some types of dairy products (cheese, yogurt), egg yolks, fatty meats, Brazil nuts, and most fruits and vegetables. Cod liver oil is a good source of vitamin d because it is naturally produced in our bodies.
In fact, vit d is required by our body to maintain the development and growth of bones and teeth. If you want to get enough vitamin d do not forget to expose yourself to sunlight.