The brisk days of Winter are upon us and with that comes a decline in sunshine—which means not much of the essential vitamin D this season.
Vitamin D is essential to absorb calcium for bone health, but it also have many other benefits extend well beyond your bones. The sunshine vitamin is essential for the immune system and improves insulin sensitivity, mood, and muscular strength. It can also help reduce that annoying body fat and protect against autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. And if you have low vitamin D, some studies suggest that you may be more at risk for cancer (including breast) and dementia.
This season, try to load up on vitamin D rich foods—even if they are notoriously difficult to get a hold of. Cod liver oil, fatty fish, egg yolks, liver, and mushrooms are the few foods that naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. But other foods are fortified with the vitamin that are easier to find like milk and non-dairy beverages.
Add these other foods that contain the sunshine vitamin to your diet:
- 1 large fortified egg
- 6 ounces yogurt
- 1 cup fortified orange juice
- 1 ounce swiss cheese
- 1 cup fortified soymilk
Are you getting enough vitamin D? Share your tips on how to get more with us on Facebook and Twitter:@LucilleRoberts
