Vitamin D is a
nutrient found in some foods that is needed for health and to maintain strong bones. It does so by helping the body
absorb calcium (one of bone's main building blocks) from food and
supplements. People who get too little
vitamin D may develop soft, thin, and brittle bones, a condition known as
rickets in children and
osteomalacia in adults.
What foods provide vitamin D?
Very few foods naturally have vitamin D.
Fortified foods provide most of the vitamin D in American diets.
- Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel are among the best sources.
- Beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks provide small amounts.
- Mushrooms provide some vitamin D. In some mushrooms that are newly available in stores, the vitamin D content is being boosted by exposing these mushrooms to ultraviolet light.
- Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with 400 IU of vitamin D per quart. But foods made from milk, like cheese and ice cream, are usually not fortified.
- Vitamin D is added to many breakfast cereals and to some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and soy beverages; check the labels.
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