Vitamin D Deficiency: Best Food Sources and How Much You Need

The Vitamin D Problem

Vitamin D deficiency is remarkably common. An estimated 1 billion people worldwide have insufficient vitamin D levels. Unlike most nutrients, vitamin D is difficult to get in adequate amounts from food alone — your body primarily produces it through sun exposure. But modern indoor lifestyles, sunscreen use, and living at higher latitudes make this challenging for many people.

Why Vitamin D Matters

Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone health. Without adequate vitamin D, your body can only absorb 10-15% of dietary calcium, compared to 30-40% with sufficient levels. Beyond bones, vitamin D plays roles in immune function, mood regulation, and muscle strength.

Deficiency symptoms include fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness, frequent illness, depression, and slow wound healing. Long-term deficiency increases the risk of osteoporosis, certain cancers, and autoimmune conditions.

Best Food Sources of Vitamin D

While sunlight is the primary source, several foods provide meaningful amounts of vitamin D.

Fatty fish are the best dietary source by far. Salmon provides roughly 11-17 micrograms (440-680 IU) per 100g serving. Other good options include mackerel, sardines, herring, and trout.

Cod liver oil is extremely potent at about 34 micrograms (1,360 IU) per tablespoon, though the strong taste is not for everyone.

Egg yolks provide about 1.75 micrograms (70 IU) per large egg. Eggs from pasture-raised chickens that spend time in sunlight can contain 3-4 times more vitamin D.

Fortified foods are an important source for many people. Fortified milk typically provides about 2.5 micrograms (100 IU) per cup. Many breakfast cereals, orange juices, and plant-based milks are also fortified.

Mushrooms are unique among plant foods because they can produce vitamin D when exposed to UV light, similar to human skin. UV-exposed mushrooms can provide 10+ micrograms per 100g.

How Much Do You Need?

The recommended daily allowance is 15 micrograms (600 IU) for adults up to age 70, and 20 micrograms (800 IU) for adults over 70. However, many researchers and health organizations suggest that 25-50 micrograms (1,000-2,000 IU) daily may be more appropriate for optimal health, particularly for people with limited sun exposure.

The upper tolerable limit is 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day, though toxicity is rare and typically only occurs with excessive supplementation.

Should You Supplement?

If you live above 37 degrees latitude (roughly north of San Francisco or Athens), spend most of your time indoors, have darker skin, or are over 65, supplementation is worth considering. A blood test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D can confirm your levels — optimal is generally considered 50-75 nmol/L (20-30 ng/mL).

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplements are more effective at raising blood levels than D2 (ergocalciferol). Take them with a meal containing fat for best absorption, since vitamin D is fat-soluble.

Explore all vitamin D rich foods in our database, or use the food search to check the vitamin D content of any specific food.

All nutritional values sourced from the USDA FoodData Central database.