Food Sources Of Vitamin D
- Smaller Portions
Vitamin D: Nutrient-densea Food and Beverage Sources, Amounts of Vitamin D and Energy per Smaller Portion
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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Vitamin D Deficiency
Severe lack of vitamin D in children causes rickets. Symptoms of rickets include:
- Incorrect growth patterns due to bowed or bent bones.
- Muscle weakness.
- Bone pain.
- Deformities in joints.
This is very rare. Children with a mild vitamin deficiency may just have weak, sore and/or painful muscles.
Lack of vitamin D isnt quite as obvious in adults. Signs and symptoms might include:
However, you may have no signs or symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.
How Else Can I Get Enough Vitamin D
Sunshine is the main source of vitamin D .
But what about during the winter months in the UK? Spending 20-30 minutes between 11am and 3pm in the sun each day from April to September should enable us to make enough vitamin D to meet our requirements, says Wakeman. But for the rest of the year, we have a much heavier reliance on dietary sources.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, according to world-renowned dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad, includes fatigue, muscle pain and weakness, weight gain, poor concentration, restless sleep, and headaches.
If youre worried, your GP can do a blood test to check your levels.
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Packaged Tuna Is A Source Of Vitamin D
According to the USDA, 3 oz of canned tuna in water contains 68 IU of vitamin D. The affordable cupboard staple is great for easy lunches, such as a classic tuna sandwich or tuna salad. Just try to stick with the types of tuna with the lowest mercury levels are your best bet the FDA recommends going for light tuna as the best choice.
Put a healthy twist on the deli favorite in a whole-wheat tuna wrap or tuna pasta salad. Tuna is accessible, affordable, and shelf-stable, making it a great option for anyone, says Zanini.
Here Is The List Of Food Which Are Rich In Vitamin C And D
Vitamin C and D are very essential vitamins for our overall health and wellness. Both vitamins play an important role and are very much essential for your body. Here is a list of food which is rich in vitamin c and d.
VITAMIN D.
The body produces this nutrient when exposed and absorbed the early morning fresh sunlight. List of food that is rich in Vitamin D.
SALMON FISH.
This is a popular fatty fish that is a great source of vitamin D, especially wild-caught salmon.
HERRING.
This small fish is also a great source of Vitamin D. If fresh fish not available pickle of herring is also good.
COD LIVER OIL.
For those who dont like fish, cod liver oil is the best option. It is a great source of Vitamin D.
EGG YOLK.
The whole egg is a great source of Vitamin D. Its content depends upon exposure of egg to sunlight and chicken feed.
MUSHROOM.
Mushroom is the only plant source of Vitamin D. Mushroom can synthesize this vitamin when exposed to sunlight. Also, many foods are rich in Vitamin D, like cow milk, soy milk, orange juice, cereals and oatmeal.
VITAMIN C.
Like Vitamin D, this vitamin is also very vital for our health. Naturally, we get vitamin c through various food. Here is the list of food rich in Vitamin C.
KAKADU PLUMS.
Kakadu plum is an Australian superfood, containing 100 times more vitamin C than oranges.
ACEROLA CHERRIES.
Acerola cherries are a great source of Vitamin C.
ROSE HIPS.
CHILLI PEPPERS.
Guavas,
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Why Is Vitamin D So Important
Vitamin D is one of many vitamins your body needs to stay healthy. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of calcium in your blood and bones and in building and maintaining bones.
More specifically, you need vitamin D so your body can use calcium and phosphorus to build bones and support healthy tissues.
With chronic and/or severe vitamin D deficiency, a decline in calcium and phosphorus absorption by your intestines leads to hypocalcemia . This leads to secondary hyperparathyroidism .
Both hypocalcemia and hyperparathyroidism, if severe, can cause symptoms, including muscle weakness and cramps, fatigue and depression.
To try to balance calcium levels in your blood , your body takes calcium from your bones, which leads to accelerated bone demineralization .
This can further result in osteomalacia in adults and rickets in children.
Osteomalacia and osteoporosis put you at an increased risk for bone fractures. Rickets is the same as osteomalacia, but it only affects children. Since a childs bones are still growing, demineralization causes bowed or bent bones.
Back Up: What Is Vitamin D And Why Is It So Important
Your body creates vitamin D on its own after being exposed to sunlight. It helps the body absorb calcium, one of the main building blocks of bones. If you’re low on D, then you’re at increased risk for bone diseases like osteoporosis.
Evidence continues to mount that vitamin D also helps to regulate the immune system, lower blood pressure, protect against depression, and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and several kinds of cancer. A 2014 study from the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine also found that people with low vitamin D levels were twice as likely to die prematurely.
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Swordfish Can Be Great In Moderation
Swordfish is another favorite of Zaninis. Three cooked ounces provide 566 IU, according to the USDA, which nearly gets you to your daily recommended intake of vitamin D. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish per week, and this fish is versatile and tasty, she adds. The AHA advises children and pregnant women to avoid large fish, such as swordfish, because they have higher levels of mercury contamination than smaller, less long-lived species. For that reason, its recommended to make swordfish no more than one of your two weekly servings of fish.
Try swordfish in kebabs complete with onions, green bell peppers, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes.
Risks Of Low Vitamin C Intake
A low intake of vitamin C will reduce the bodys ability to make collagen. This can negatively affect different body tissues.
A vitamin C deficiency is known as scurvy. This can lower a persons immune function and increase their risk of infection. Scurvy is relatively rare in the United States but is more prevalent in malnourished populations. Levels of scurvy are
- tooth loss
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Should I Take Vitamin C Supplements
You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need from the foods you eat, but if you do want to take vitamin C supplements make sure you dont have more than 1,000 milligrams each day. If you do have more than this you might get an upset tummy and experience cramps and diarrhoea.
When choosing supplements its best to check which age theyre suitable for, especially childrens vitamins so you can be sure theyre getting the right amount.
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The Top Vitamin D Foods
In a recent nutrient survey, many respondents were rightfully concerned they weren’t getting enough D, with 22% actively looking for it in foods. But just 9% knew that salmon is a good natural source of the vitamin, and only 5% recognized fortified tofu as one, too. Here are some other ways to get more foods with vitamin D in your diet:
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How Much Vitamin C Do I Need Each Day
The NHS advises that teenagers and adults need 40 milligrams of vitamin C each day. That equates to roughly the following:
- 20g of blackcurrants
- 150ml glass of orange juice
- 1/3 of a 100g red pepper
Children also need a bit of vitamin C each day around 30 milligrams up to the age of 10, and 35 milligrams up to the age of 15.
Steady State Bioavailability Studies In Humans
An early report of several patients with scurvy whose plasma vitamin C levels did not increase with synthetic vitamin C alone, but only in the form of lemon juice , initially leant support to the âvitamin Pâ/flavonoid theory. However, in contrast to the animal studies, all steady state human studies have shown little difference in plasma and/or urine bioavailability between synthetic vitamin C and that from different fruits, fruit juices, and vegetables . Mangels et al. did observe a 20% lower plasma bioavailability of vitamin C from raw broccoli compared with cooked broccoli, however, this may have been due to differences in mechanical homogenization , a similar effect to that observed for carotenoid absorption from raw versus cooked carrots.
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Types Of Minerals And Their Functions
There are hundreds of minerals they are usually classified as either major or trace minerals.
Although the amount you need differs between minerals, major are generally required in larger amounts. Some examples include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, sodium, chloride, magnesium.
Trace minerals , although equally important to bodily functions are required in smaller amounts. Examples include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and iodine selenium.
Some of the important minerals to keep us healthy are listed below.
Can Vitamin D Boost Fertility
Did you know? Sunlight can actually boost fertility, according to new research. The findings claim that vitamin D can balance sex hormones in women and further improve sperm count in men, with the conclusion suggesting some couples could be undergoing unnecessary and costly fertility treatments when spending time in the sunshine could prevent the need for them.
The researchers at the Medical University of Graz in Austria found that women ovulate less and their eggs have a reduced chance of implanting in the womb in the winter months. The vast majority of people in this country around 86 per cent are getting less than the optimum levels, says Oliver Gillie, director of the Health Research Forum.
Leading fertility expert, Zita West, agrees. Vitamin D is becoming increasingly important for fertility, she says. Having done over 800 vitamin D tests, we have found that around 70 per cent of our clients are deficient. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to obesity, polycystic ovaries and immune disorders.
Gullie advises couples trying to get pregnant to arrange a sunshine holiday or spend time in the garden this summer before going down the expensive route of IVF.
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Types Of Vitamins And Their Functions
Vitamins and minerals are a form of nutrient that are needed in small amounts. Although micronutrients dont give us energy, they are involved in the metabolic processes that enable us to get energy from carbohydrates, protein and fat, which are also known as macronutrients.
Different vitamins serve different purposes and contribute to different bodily functions. There are 13 vitamins in total and 8 of these come from the B-group of vitamins.
Vitamin D Deficiency And Other Micronutrient Deficiencies
Vitamin D deficiency gets a lot of attention as it is a crucial vitamin for optimal health but there are micronutrient deficiencies to consider as well. Its proven: 31 percent of people in the United States are at risk for a deficiency in at least one vitamin or mineral essential for good health. It may be hard to imagine that we dont get enough nutrition when we see an abundance of food available 24/7, but its true. A recent study showed the top five nutrients many of us need more of.
Should you be concerned about being low in one or two vitamins or minerals? In a word, yes. Thats because vitamins and minerals are essential for optimal health. Being low may not cause immediate symptoms, but it puts you at risk for many serious diseases that can affect your brain, heart, blood, immune system, metabolism, bones, mental health, etc.
Nutrients are key pieces your body needs to maintain all of your systems in good working order. Missing just one or two pieces can throw off the delicate balance you need to be healthy and feel great. Thats because most nutrients dont have just one vital role to play within the body, they play many, many vital roles.
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Daily Recommended Dose Of Vitamin D
The daily value for vitamin D is 800 IU . The vitamin D content is listed as a percentage of the DV on the nutrition facts label on food packages. This tells you what amount of your daily vitamin D requirement the food will provide .
Its best to get vitamin D from food or supplements.
Whether you need a vitamin D supplement in addition to food and sun exposure is a question to ask your doctor. They can also help you find out if you are deficient.
Here are 7 healthy foods that are high in vitamin D.
Foods High In Vitamin A
There are plenty of vegetables with vitamin A, and many of them are orange because of the beta-carotene in them, which is a precursor to vitamin A. See the top foods high in vitamin A, according to the USDA, below.
- Carrots: 148% Daily Value per 1 cup cooked
- Tuna: 143% DV per 6 oz. cooked
- Butternut squash: 127% DV per cup cooked
- Sweet potato: 122% DV per cup cooked
- Spinach: 105% DV per cup cooked
In addition to these vegetables, there are some vitamin A fruits as well, such as:
- Cantaloupe: 33% DV per cup
- Pink grapefruit: 15% DV per cup
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Synergistic Action Of Nutrients On Physical Barriers
The outer and inner surfaces of an organism, such as the skin and mucous membranes, are the first line of defense against pathogens, toxins and other foreign bodies, as they form physical barriers that prevent entry . SARS-CoV-2 is able to penetrate physical barriers when they are vulnerable. Thus, it can be transmitted directly, when there is physical contact with the infected person, or indirectly, when the infection occurs through droplets and aerosols in suspension or through fomites, where steel and plastic are the materials in which this virus is more viable .
Droplets containing SARS-CoV-2 are transmitted when they come in contact with the oral, respiratory tract and intestinal mucosa and the conjunctiva, tissues that express ACE2 necessary for the entry of this virus into the body. However, whether the consumption of food contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 can cause its transmission through the digestive system remains to be confirmed . Thus, the physical and functional integrity of the physical barriers, especially epithelial cells, is important for reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 contagion.
The epithelial cells are joined by distinct intercellular junctions, known as the epithelial junctional complex, which is formed by tight junctions, adherens junctions and desmosomes . Because they act as a selective barrier, this complex prevents the entry of pathogens and toxins into the bloodstream.
Table 1. Functions and protein constituents of the junctional complex.
Vitamin And Mineral Deficiencies And Supplements
The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K can be locked away in the liver and body fat, and stored for a long time. The water-soluble vitamins, including B-complex and vitamin C, are mostly only stored for a shorter period.A vitamin deficiency takes weeks or months before it will affect your health. For instance, it would take months of no vitamin C before you developed scurvy.
Vitamin and mineral supplements may be recommended in certain circumstances to correct vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as folate for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Others who may be at risk of a vitamin or mineral deficiency include:
- pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding
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So Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D
Probably not. The Institute of Medicine has set the Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin D at 600 international units for everyone under the age of 70. But many experts believe that’s too low. “There is talk that the RDA may be increased,” says Zanecosky. “Many physicians are now advising 2,000 milligrams daily for those with low blood levels.”
Cereal Can Start Your Day With Vitamin D
Ready-to-eat fortified cereal typically gives you 40 IU of vitamin D per serving, per the NIH, but it may provide more if you choose a more heavily fortified cereal, like Raisin Bran, which has 60.2 IU per cup, notes the USDA. Fortified cereal can be a solid base for a nutrient-rich, high-fiber meal especially if you add fortified low-fat or fat-free milk to your bowl for an extra 58.5 IU per half cup, per the USDA. Or you can be more adventurous and make a breakfast cookie that includes both fortified cereal and vitamin Dfortified margarine.
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What Are The Possible Complications Of Vitamin D Deficiency
The most serious complications of vitamin D deficiency include:
- Low blood calcium levels .
- Low blood phosphate levels .
- Osteomalacia .
All of these conditions are treatable. While rickets is a treatable and often curable disease, treating it as soon as possible is important. When not treated, milder cases of rickets can result in long-term bone damage that can keep bones from growing properly. Severe cases that arent treated can lead to seizures, heart damage and death.
The good news is that thanks to vitamin D-fortified infant formula and fortified cows milk, rickets is very uncommon in the United States.
