Four everyday foods to boost vitamin D levels including mushrooms and egg yolks

New research has revealed that one in six adults in the UK have low levels of vitamin D. Here are four foods that can help boost your vitamin D intake, according to a nutritionist

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for our overall health, which makes it worrying that vitamin D deficiency remains quite high in the UK.

New research from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has revealed that one in six UK adults suffer from deficiency of vitamin D.

Lack of vitamin D can lead to lower immunity against infections as well as health issues like bone and back pain, fatigue and muscle pain, various cancers – breast, colon and prostate – heart disease, depression and weight gain.

However, simple changes to your diet can help boost intake of vitamin D and maintain your health, according to Signe Svanfeldt, a leading nutritionist at popular nutrition app Lifesum.

What four foods help boost vitamin D intake?

The recommended intake of vitamin D in the UK is 10 micrograms per day. Leading nutritionist Signe Svanfeldt has revealed the top four foods to boost your vitamin D intake.

1. Fatty Fish: Fatty types of fish like salmon, trout and mackerel are some of the best sources of vitamin D. Salmon has around 12.5 microgram of vitamin D/100 g, but the amount of vitamin D in fish usually depends on the diets of the fish.
2. Egg yolks: For those who exclude fish from their diet, egg yolks are the next best source of vitamin D with around four microgram of vitamin D/100 g.
3. Mushrooms: While the amount of vitamin D in plant-based sources are quite low, mushrooms that are exposed to UV light tend to contain a healthy amount of vitamin D.
4. Fortified dairy / plant-based milks : Some products like dairy products and plant-based variants are fortified to raise levels of vitamin D in them.

How to add vitamin D into your diet

Lifesum nutritionist Signe Svanfeldt explains that adding things like simple scrambled eggs or cold smoked salmon to your meal can increase vitamin D intake and “help people live longer, healthier and happier lives.”

Svanfeldt recommends including fatty fish in your diet at least once a week as well as making eggs – which provides you with vitamin D and proteins – a regular part of your breakfast.

She adds: “Chopped mushrooms in your stews, it will increase both the taste and your vitamin D intake.”

Besides diet, Svanfeldt also advises that we exercise or run outdoors to boost intake of vitamin D from the sun.

She explains: “When our skin is exposed to the sun, our bodies can convert sunlight to vitamin D, which then can be stored in the liver until needed.”