Vitamin D Rich Foods for Vegetarians

Children under 12 months old should get 400 IU (10 mcg) of vitamin D daily, while children 1-13 years old should get 600 IU (15 mcg). Adults and pregnant or nursing women should aim for 600 IU (15 mcg) and 800 IU (15 mcg) per day, respectively.

Nevertheless, this vitamin is found in very few foods, most of which are animal products. As a result, getting enough of this mineral from your diet can be tough, especially if you’re vegetarian or vegan.

Food Options to get Vitamin D

These are five excellent vitamin D sources for vegetarians. They include:

1. Its Time for Some Sunshine


Yes, you read it right. Sunshine is the best and the most apt way to get vitamin D, and guess what? It is not just for vegetarians but also for those who follow a vegan diet. When exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the sun, your skin can generate vitamin D. Most people obtain part of their vitamin D from this source.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends that you expose your face, arms, legs, or back to sunshine for 5-30 minutes twice a week — without sunscreen — to achieve optimal vitamin D levels (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Sun Exposure and Vitamin D

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Nevertheless, depending on your geographical location or climate, this level of direct sun exposure may not be feasible.

Season, time of day, and degree of pollution or smog, as well as your age, skin color, and sunscreen use, all have an impact on your skin’s ability to synthesize enough vitamin D.

Smog or a gloomy day, for example, can diminish the power of UV radiation by up to 60%. Furthermore, older people and people with darker skin tones may need much more than 30 minutes of sun exposure to synthesize enough vitamin D.

Yet, excessive sun exposure can raise your risk of developing skin cancer. As a result, the American Academy of Dermatology advises patients not to rely solely on the sun for vitamin D (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
The vitamin D questions: how much do you need and how should you get it?

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2. Certain Mushrooms


UV-exposed mushrooms have varying quantities of vitamin D and appear to be as effective as tablets in increasing vitamin D levels. Most conventionally grown mushrooms, on the other hand, are not exposed to UV rays and hence have vitamin D deficiency (4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Effects of postharvest pulsed UV light treatment of white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) on vitamin D2 content and quality attributes

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).

3. Egg Yolks


Egg yolks contain vitamin D, though the exact amount depends on the chicken’s diet and access to the outdoors.

Eggs from chickens fed a vitamin-D-enriched diet, for example, can contain up to 6,000 IU (150 mcg) per yolk, but eggs from chicks fed ordinary feed have only 18-39 IU (0.4-1 mcg).
Similarly, free-roaming chickens are exposed to sunshine and often lay eggs with 3-4 times the vitamin D content of chickens raised indoors. Vitamin D levels are higher in free-range or organic eggs. This nutrient may also be indicated on the label if the eggs are supplemented with it (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Effects of vitamin D(3) -enriched diet on egg yolk vitamin D(3) content and yolk quality

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4. Cheese


Cheese contains vitamin D naturally, albeit in trace amounts.

Most types contain 8-24 IU (0.2-0.6 mcg) of vitamin D per 2-ounce (50-gram) serving. Levels fluctuate depending on how the cheese is made.

Fontina, Monterey, and Cheddar cheeses have more than mozzarella. Cottage, ricotta, and cream cheeses have essentially no vitamin D.

Certain varieties may additionally be fortified with vitamin D, as mentioned on the label or ingredient list.

5. Fortified Foods

Although some meals naturally contain trace quantities of vitamin D, this supplement is added to several items. The fortification standards differ from country to country; some of these foods include:

• The milk of a cow: Depending on where you live, 1 cup (240 ml) of milk may contain up to 120 IU (3 mcg) of vitamin D.
• Nondairy beverages: Plant milk, such as soy, rice, hemp, oat, or almond milk, as well as orange juice, are frequently supplemented with vitamin D levels comparable to cow’s milk. They may contain up to 100 IU (2.5 mcg) of vitamin D per serving.
• Yoghurt, 1 cup (240 mL): Certain dairy and nondairy yogurts are fortified with vitamin D, providing around 52 IU (1.3 mcg) of this vitamin per 3.5 ounces (100 grams).
• Tofu: Not all tofu is fortified, but those that are, can provide approximately 100 IU (2.5 mcg) per 3.5 ounces (100 grams).
• Cereals: Oatmeal and ready-to-eat cereals are frequently supplemented with vitamin D, with 1/2 cup (120 grams) offering up to 120 IU (3 mcg) depending on the variety.
• Margarine: Unlike butter, which is normally not fortified with vitamin D, many varieties of margarine are. One tablespoon (14 grams) contains approximately 20 IU (0.5 mcg).
• Due to inconsistent fortification standards between countries, checking a food’s ingredient list or nutrition label remains the best way to verify whether it’s fortified in vitamin D and how much it contains (6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  Vitamin D Fortification of Fluid Milk Products and Their Contribution to Vitamin D Intake and Vitamin D Status in Observational Studies-A Review

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  ).

References :

1. Global prevalence and disease burden of vitamin D deficiency: a roadmap for action in low- and middle-income countries – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30225965/)
2. Sun Exposure and Vitamin D – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34698034/)
3. The vitamin D questions: how much do you need and how should you get it? – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16443061/)
4. Effects of postharvest pulsed UV light treatment of white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) on vitamin D2 content and quality attributes – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22132934/)
5. Effects of vitamin D(3) -enriched diet on egg yolk vitamin D(3) content and yolk quality – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23331294/)
6. Vitamin D Fortification of Fluid Milk Products and Their Contribution to Vitamin D Intake and Vitamin D Status in Observational Studies-A Review – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30096919/)

Source: Medindia