Top Food Sources Rich in Vitamin D for Pescatarians and Vegans
According to the NIH the DV (Recommended Daily Value) for vitamin D is currently set at 400 IU for adults and children age 4 and older, per day. These daily values are set for healthy adults with normal serum vitamin D levels (which clinically I find to be almost never the case).
In cases where your serum levels are low supplementation is your best bet at raising levels high enough to affect an increase in your blood values. Also most people aren’t getting enough outdoor sun exposure to affect normal serum levels.
Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver and egg yolks.
Top Food Sources for Vitamin D:
- Cod Liver Oil – 1 table spoon – 1,360 IU
- Wild Sockeye Salmon – Cooked, 3 ounces – 447 IU
- Tuna Fish – Canned in water, drained, 3 ounces – 154 IU
- Orange Juice Fortified with Vitamin D – 1 Cup – 137 IU
- Egg Yolk – 1 large – 41 IU
- Sardines – Canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines – 46 IU
Dairy has a small amount of vitamin D (1 cup fortified milk has 115-124IU). Almost all of the commercially available milk in Canada and the US is voluntarily fortified.
