Nutrition: The sun is missing – four foods contain a lot of vitamin D

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Especially in the cold seasons, many people have too little vitamin D in their blood. However, the “sun vitamin” is important for health. That’s why you should choose foods containing vitamin D, especially in the winter months.

A long-term vitamin D deficiency can be harmful to your health. Because the “sun vitamin” is essential for bones and immune defense.

In order for the body to produce vitamin D itself, it needs sunlight. But this is rare, especially in the winter months in Germany. The short days and the cloudy weather usually do not provide us with the amount of sunshine we need.

This is how you can prevent a vitamin D deficiency

To avoid becoming deficient in this important vitamin, you can do something to improve your vitamin D balance in the summer months.

The Robert Koch Institute recommends exposing your face, hands and arms to the sun uncovered and without sun protection two to three times a week between March and October. According to the RKI, there is no risk of sunburn – because it is already half the time that sunburn would occur if left unprotected.

Actually, this vitamin D supply should be enough to get you through the dark season. However, many people still do not have enough vitamin D in their bodies.

The good thing: around ten to 20 percent of our vitamin D needs can be covered through our diet. Some foods contain a particularly high amount of vitamin D.

1. Salmon

Salmon is rich in vitamin D. Wild salmon in particular impresses with its high vitamin D content. A standard 85-gram serving of salmon contains approximately 375 international units (IU) of vitamin D. The same serving of wild salmon contains more than twice the amount of international units of vitamin D.

2. Mushrooms

Mushrooms also contain a lot of vitamin D. But it depends on the type of mushroom. Fresh wild mushrooms contain more vitamin D than purchased mushrooms. This was the result of a study published in 2018 on the vitamin D content of mushrooms.

3. Owner

If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you should also eat eggs more often. Here, the egg yolk in particular is particularly rich in vitamin D. A large egg contains around 44 international units of vitamin D.

If you’re worried about your cholesterol level, you don’t have to worry at this point. Sources show that the egg yolk does not affect cholesterol levels.

4. Oatmeal

Do you like eating porridge? Then you’ll be doing something good for your vitamin D levels at the same time. Oatmeal is a real powerhouse when it comes to vitamins, minerals and trace elements. They also contain a lot of vitamin D and help fill the vitamin D balance.

Do vitamin D supplements help?

In principle, the DGE recommends an adequate supply of vitamin D, best through sunlight or through diet. Only if there is still a deficiency should you take vitamin D supplements.

Supplementing with supplements only makes sense if your doctor has diagnosed a corresponding vitamin D deficiency and prescribed the supplements.