August 2008
Vitamin D from food
Your body produces vitamin D from sunlight, but since excessive exposure can cause skin cancer, our consultants recommend getting it mainly from your diet. Aim for 800 to 1,000 international units daily. If you don't
get enough from food, consider taking a supplement.
Natural food sources:
Natural food sources:
- Herring: 1,383 IU per 3 ounces. Pickled herring has 578 IU per serving.
- Shitake mushrooms: 249 IU per 4 dried mushrooms.
- Salmon: 238 IU per 3 ounces. Mackerel, sardines, and shrimp also have some.
- Eggs: 26 IU per egg. Nearly all of the D is in the yolk.
Fortified food sources:
- Tofu: 120 IU per 3 ounces. Not all varieties are fortified, so read labels.
- Milk: 100 IU per 8 ounces. Cheese and yogurt are less likely to be fortified.
- Orange juice: 100 IU per 8 ounces. Soy and rice milk is often fortified, too.
- Cereal: 40 IU per 1 cup. Look for whole-grain varieties low in added sugar.
