Foods high in vitamin D

Vitamin D is a vital nutrient that plays an important role in our health. It strengthens our bones, muscles, and teeth and boosts our immune system. Some of the functions of vitamin D are not fully understood and are still being studied. 

Most vitamin D is made by our bodies in response to sunlight, only a small amount comes from the food we eat. To get enough vitamin D from sunlight, you need to spend around 10 to 30 minutes a day in the sun, several times a week, more if you have darker skin. Note, that this is natural sunlight, not artificial sunbeds, outside of peak-hours (11am to 4pm). If you have a family history of, or other risk factors for, skin cancer, please speak to your GP before increasing your sun exposure. 

Vitamin D deficiency (when you don’t have enough vitamin D in your body) is very common due to a number of factors, including change in lifestyles, increased use of sunblocks and migration. The majority if our Vitamin D is made by our bodies when we are exposed to natural sunlight. Getting enough vitamin D from sunlight alone may be difficult if: 

• You live in a country where there is little sunlight for all or part of the year.
• You spend most of your time indoors.
• You wear clothes that cover most of your skin.
• You are, quite correctly, using moisturisers with sunblocks.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin D in the UK is 10 micrograms (mcg) a day for adults and children over four year of age. 

Foods containing vitamin D include: 

• Oily fish
• Red meat
• Egg yolks
• Fortified spreads and cereals

Foods containing the highest amounts of vitamin D (12 to 20 mcg per portion) include:

Food	Portion size	Amount of vitamin D (mcg)
Grilled herring	119g	19.2
Tinned salmon	100g	13.6
Grilled salmon	170g	13.3
Grilled kipper	130g	13.1
Grilled rainbow trout	155g	12.7
Smoked mackerel	150g	12.3

Foods containing around 3 to 4 mcg of vitamin D per portion include:

Food	Portion size	Amount of vitamin D (mcg)
Some malted drinks	1 mug (25g)	4.6
Cooked crab	1 tin (75g)	3.5
Sardines	1 tin (100g)	3.3
Scrambled eggs/ omelette	2 eggs	3.3

Foods containing around 1 to 2 mcg of vitamin D per portion include:

Food	Portion size	Amount of vitamin D (mcg)
Build up shake	1 sachet (38g)	1.7
Fortified soya milk	1 glass (200ml)	1.6
Boiled egg	1	1.6
Fortified cereal (cornflakes/bran flakes)	1 serving (30g)	1.4

Foods containing around 0.5 mcg of vitamin D per portion include:

Food	Portion size	Amount of vitamin D (mcg)
Pork chop	1 (75g)	0.6
Corned beef	1 slice (50g)	0.6
Bacon rashers	2 (80g)	0.5
Fortified low-fat spread	1 teaspoon (5g)	0.4
margarine	1 teaspoon (5g)	0.4
Pork sausages	1 (40g)	0.4
Lambs liver	40g	0.4

In some countries milk is fortified, meaning extra nutrients like vitamin D have been added to it, but this is not the case in the UK.  

Many foods high in vitamin D are animal products and getting enough vitamin D from your diet if you are vegan or vegetarian can be a challenge. Some sources of vitamin D suitable for vegans and vegetarians include: 

• Fortified Orange Juice contains around 2.5 mcg per 200ml glass
• Mushrooms when grown in sunlight or artificial light contain around 11.25 mcg per 100g
• Fortified Cereals vary between brands, but normally contain 0.2 to 2.5mcg per serving
• Fortified almond, rice, or soy milk contains around 2.4 mcg per 200ml glass

Fortified tofu contains around 2.5mcg per 100g.

In June 2020 the NHS issued a recommendation that everyone in the UK should consider taking a vitamin D supplement of 10mcg per day. This advice is particulary pertinent in winter months.

Vitamin D deficiency is very common and affects around 27% of people in the UK with a further 74% having below optimal levels (this is known as “insufficiency”). Vitamin D deficiency is particularly common in the winter months, and among people with naturally darker skin tones. 

Vitamin D deficiency is more likely if you:

• Live in a country with limited sunshine.
• Spend a lot of time indoors.
• Wear modest clothing that covers your skin.
• Follow a restricted diet such as vegan or vegetarian.
• Have a health condition that affects your ability to absorb food like Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, or cystic fibrosis. 
• Have darker skin.
• Have liver or kidney problems.
• Are over 50.
• Are overweight or obese.

If you are worried about vitamin D deficiency, taking a supplement is a good way to make sure you are getting enough. Supplements are available as daily tablets, capsules, syrup, or drops, or as an injection that is normally given every 3 to 6 months. 

Taking too much vitamin D is dangerous as it can cause high levels of calcium in the body (hypercalcaemia). Never take more vitamin D than the recommended amount. 

Symptoms of hypercalcaemia include: 

• Nausea (feeling sick)
• Vomiting (being sick) 
• Weakness
• Excessive urination (peeing more than usual)
• Bone pain 
• Kidney stones

If you have or think you have taken too much vitamin D, seek immediate medical attention. 

Vitamin D supplements can interact with some medications meaning your supplement may be less effective. These include: 

• Steroids like prednisolone 
• Cholesterol medication (statins) 
• Weight loss drugs like orlistat
• Thiazide diuretics (medicines that make you pee) 
• Epilepsy medications like phenobarbital and phenytoin
• Some heart medications like digoxin

Tell a GP or pharmacist about any medications you are taking before starting vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin D is vital for our bodies to work properly and to prevent health conditions like osteoporosis in later life. To find out more about the symptoms and possible health problems of vitamin D deficiency read our article, Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. 

You can help to increase your levels of vitamin D naturally by eating more vitamin D-rich foods and spending more time outside, but in many cases, vitamin D supplements may be necessary. 

If you are worried you may have vitamin D deficiency you can check your vitamin D levels at home with a simple at-home vitamin D test. The test is quick and easy, requires a single drop of blood and the results take around 10 minutes. It costs just £19.99 including free delivery. 

We recommend buying a combined test and follow-up online GP consultation by video link to discuss your results and any necessary treatment.

NHS: Vitamin D. Vitamins and minerals  August 3rd, 2020 (Accessed July 28th, 2022) 

PubMed: The Potential Role of Vitamin D Enhanced Foods in Improving Vitamin D Status December 3rd, 2011 (Accessed July 28th, 2022) 

National Institutes of Health: Vitamin D June 2nd, 2022  (Accessed July 28th, 2022)

PubMed: Vitamin D Serum Levels in the UK Population, including a Mathematical Approach to Evaluate the Impact of Vitamin D Fortified Ready-to-Eat Breakfast Cereals: Application of the NDNS Database June 12th, 2020 (Accessed July 28th, 2022)

Open access Government: New NHS Recommendation-UK population needs extra vitamin D. June 17th, 2020  (Accessed July 28th, 2022)

Royal Osteoporosis Society: Vitamin D-rich food chooser 2020  (Accessed July 28th, 2022)

Healthline: The best vegan sources of vitamin D  January 10th, 2020 (Accessed July 28th, 2022)

Forthwith life: Why we all need to take vitamin D supplements September 17th, 2018  (Accessed July 29th, 2022)