Vitamin D is one of the most important micronutrients when it comes to health. That is why consuming vitamin D foods is highly recommended by various health experts. Here are the Benefits of Vitamin D for the Body.

These nutrients are involved in almost everything from immunity to brain function, and have an impact on overall health.

Read: Vitamin D3: Benefits, Explanations, Food Sources

Benefits of Vitamin D for the Body

However, with dietary choices of vitamin D being limited, most of us don't get enough of this important vitamin to meet our needs effectively. 

Yes, vitamin D deficiency or deficiency greatly affects health.

Fortunately, incorporating a variety of vitamin D-rich foods into your diet can reduce your risk of deficiency and help optimize your health.

What foods are high in vitamin D, and why is it important? Let's dive in and discuss why you might want to start paying more attention to your dietary intake of this all-important vitamin.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a central role in many components of health. 

This nutrient stands out from other vitamins because your body is able to make most of what you need through exposure to sunlight, which is why it is often dubbed the "sunshine vitamin."

It is also unique in that it actually acts as a steroid hormone rather than just a vitamin in the body and is involved in everything from weight management to bone health.

The National Institutes for Health explains that when you take vitamin D, it goes through a two-step process to convert it to its active form. 

First, it is made into its storage form 25(OH)D (or calcidiol) in the liver. Furthermore, it is converted to its active form, 1,25(OH)2D, in the kidney.

From there, Vitamin D works in communication with cells to control many functions in the body, from altering calcium absorption to promoting immune health.

Meanwhile, when your skin is exposed to sunlight, ultraviolet B rays from the sun provide energy that helps cholesterol in your skin produce vitamin D. 

It is generally recommended to sunbathe at least 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure twice a week to help meet vitamin D needs. Although this can vary based on a number of factors, including age, skin color and weight.

Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency also affects millions of people worldwide and can come with serious consequences. 

In fact, a study published in Nutrition Research found that nearly 42 percent of the US population is deficient in this major vitamin.

To complicate things further, there is very little dietary vitamin D available, which can make it very difficult to get fixes from food sources alone.

However, if you can't spend time outside basking in the sun — or you live in a place where your sun exposure is limited — there are plenty of other options to make sure you meet your needs. 

By regularly incorporating several servings of foods high in vitamin D into your diet, you can get what you need, without even stepping out.

What foods contain vitamin D, and how much should you eat? Here's what you need to know.

16 Best Vitamin D Foods

In food sources, vitamin D is available in two different forms. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) can be found in animal foods, such as fish, while vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is found in other sources, such as mushrooms.

Vitamin D3 is the form most often used in supplements and multivitamins because it has been shown to be more effective in increasing serum levels of vitamin D.

Eating foods fortified with calcium and vitamin D, such as milk, yogurt and orange juice, is an easy way to avoid deficiency. 

Calcium and vitamin D work together. Because calcium helps protect bone health, vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium effectively.

Increasing food intake with vitamin D is one of the best ways to prevent deficiency and promote overall health. 

Children under 12 months need at least 400 international units per day, and individuals aged 1–70 years need 600 IU daily.

Older adults need more vitamin D and should aim to get at least 800 IU of vitamin D daily.

Check: Purity Sun Vitamin D3 1000IU 90 Tablets SALE

Here are some top sources to ensure you're meeting your daily requirements for this important fat-soluble vitamin:

1. Cod Liver Oil — 1 tablespoon: 1,360 IU (over 100 percent of
2. the RDA) Wild Caught Salmon — 3 ounces: 447 IU ( more than 100 percent of the RDA)
3. Mackerel — 3 ounces: 306 IU (76 percent
4. Tuna — 3 ounces: 154 IU (39 percent
5. of the RDA) Fortified Milk - 1 cup: 124 IU (31 percent of the RDA)
6. Almond Milk — 1 cup : 120 IU (24 RDA)
7. Coconut Milk - 1 cup: 120 IU (24 percent RDA)
8. Morel Mushrooms - 1 cup: 3.4 micrograms (17 percent RDA)
9. Sardines — 2 sardines: 47 IU (12 percent RDA)
10. Orange Juice: 1 cup: 47 IU or more (12 percent of the RDA)
11. Beef Liver — 3 ounces: 42 IU (11 percent of the RDA)
12. Eggs — 1 egg: 41 IU (10 percent of the RDA)
13. Cereals - 1 cup: 40 IU (10 percent of the RDA)
14. Caviar - 1 tablespoon: 37 IU (9 percent of the RDA)
15. Shiitake Mushrooms - 1 cup: 1 IU (5 percent of the RDA)
16. Oyster Mushrooms - 1 cup: 0.6 IU (3 percent of the RDA)

Benefits

We know that vitamin D is essential for all of body function. Nutrients play a major role in brain health, bone health, immunity and more.

Here are five main benefits of eating foods rich in vitamin D.

1. Aids in Weight Management

The first Benefits of Vitamin D for the Body is Benefits of Vitamin D for the Body.
If you are having trouble losing stubborn belly fat despite following a strict diet and exercise plan, it may be time to start stocking up on some foods high in vitamin D.

Research suggests that there may be a link between obesity and vitamin D deficiency, with some studies even suggesting that getting enough of this key vitamin can also aid weight loss.One study showed that women who met their need for vitamin D lost seven pounds more than the placebo group over a one-year period.

Meanwhile, other studies have shown that having a higher amount of body fat is associated with lower blood levels of vitamin D.

However, it remains unclear whether obesity can increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency or if obesity can lead to low vitamin D status. 

More research is needed to understand the complex role vitamin D may play in weight control.

2. Benefits of Vitamin D for the Body: Improve Brain Health

In addition to maintaining a healthy body, several studies have also found that vitamin D may be just as important in terms of brain health. 

Some studies have even found that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with a higher risk of developing conditions such as schizophrenia.

Other studies have also found that vitamin D status can also influence the presence of depression, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder and insomnia.

Getting enough vitamin D can also increase brain power. 

One study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry states that lower levels of vitamin D may be associated with poor performance on standardized exams, difficulties with attention and focus, and impaired decision making.

3. Can Help Prevent Cancer Formation

Next, Benefits of Vitamin D for the Body is Help Cancer. Did you know that low levels of vitamins can increase your risk of developing cancer? 

Research is limited on how vitamin D might affect cancer risk, some studies have found that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, including prostate, breast and colon cancer.

A review in Frontiers in Endocrinology showed that vitamin D is believed to affect tumor cell growth, cell differentiation and even cancer cell death. 

In addition, sun exposure and blood levels of vitamin D may also be associated with a reduced risk of incidence and death for several different types of cancer as well.

That means you can add vitamin D foods to your list of foods to face your risk of developing cancer.

4. Benefits of Vitamin D for the Body: Strengthens Bones

One of the most common benefits of vitamin D is for bone density.

In fact, one of the hallmark symptoms of severe vitamin D deficiency is rickets, a condition that affects children and is characterized by bone abnormalities and reduced bone mineral density.

Although rickets is very rare these days, other bone-related disorders such as osteoporosis are still very common. 

Vitamin D deficiency has not only been associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis, it has also been associated with decreased bone mineral density and a higher risk of fracture in older adults.

Spending time outdoors and eating a variety of vitamin D foods in your diet are some of the best ways to keep your bones healthy and strong to reduce your risk of this condition. 

Of course, along with eating plenty of vitamin D rich foods, make sure you also get good amounts of calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in your diet as well to help promote bone health.

5. Boosts Immune Function

Many people tend to overlook sneezing and runny noses as just part of the season, few realize that low levels of vitamin D can be the sneaky source behind certain immune problems and infections. 

Research has found that vitamin D aids in cell replication and is thought to help protect against the development of autoimmune conditions and infections such as the flu.

Vitamin D can also help prevent prolonged inflammation, which is often thought to be at the root of many chronic conditions and health problems.

Studies show that inflammation may play a role in heart disease, diabetes and cancer, along with various inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and inflammatory bowel disease.

A recent 2020 study found that higher doses of vitamin D3 may be useful for reducing the risk of respiratory infections, including influenza. 

These benefits may be due to lower rates of viral replication and decreased concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines after taking vitamin D supplements.

Symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency plays a central role in almost every aspect of health, which is why it is so important to get regular sun exposure and include lots of vitamin D foods into the diet.

Research shows that vitamin D is associated with a number of chronic health conditions, including:

1. osteoporosis
2. coronary heart disease,
3. diabetes
4. ,autoimmune disorders,
5. cancer,

Low vitamin D levels can also cause problems in daily life and cause many negative side effects. Some of the most common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include:

1. chronic fatigue,
2. depression
3. insomnia,
4. anxiety
5. weak bones or fractures
6. weakened immune system,
7. inflammation and swelling weakness

How to Get Vitamin D in Food 

While spending time in the sun is the best option for warding off a vitamin D deficiency, you can also increase your intake of vitamin D rich foods to maintain your vitamin D levels. 

Aim for one to two servings of dietary vitamin D per day, and try to include a good mix of vitamin D vegetables, dairy products, and fatty fish for a variety of essential micronutrients in addition to vitamin D.

For those who don't eat fish, it can be a little more difficult to get them. enough vitamin D from food sources alone. However, there are still plenty of vitamin D food options available for vegetarians and vegans.

In addition to fatty fish and liver, vitamin D can also be found in sources such as eggs and mushrooms, as well as products such as cereals, juices, and milk.

Vitamin D supplements are also available and can provide megadoses of vitamin D to help you meet your needs in just one serving. 

If you have a deficiency, discuss with your doctor to see if a vitamin D supplement is necessary or if you can meet your needs through vitamin D foods alone.

If you decide to take a vitamin D supplement, choose a high-quality, food-based multivitamin whenever possible, and find a form that uses vitamin D3 instead of vitamin D2 to help maximize absorption.

Risks and Side Effects

If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you should consult your doctor to determine the best treatment for you.

Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it should be taken with healthy fat choices to help maximize absorption.