You've probably heard it a thousand times: just go outside for fifteen minutes and you’re fine. It's a nice thought. Honestly, it’s also mostly a fantasy for a huge chunk of the population. If you live in Seattle, London, or basically anywhere north of Atlanta during the winter, the sun isn't doing much for your blood levels. The angle of the sun is literally too low to trigger synthesis in your skin. So, we turn to the kitchen. But when you start looking into what has vitamin d in it, you quickly realize the list is surprisingly short and kind of weird.
It's not like Vitamin C where you can just grab an orange and call it a day.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble hormone—yeah, it's actually a pro-hormone, not a vitamin—and it doesn't just show up in garden-variety vegetables. You won't find it in a head of broccoli. You won't find it in an apple. Unless it's been fortified by a factory, the plant kingdom is almost entirely devoid of D3, which is the form your body actually craves. This puts vegans and even casual vegetarians in a bit of a spot.
The Heavy Hitters: Fatty Fish and the Liver Factor
If you want to move the needle on your blood tests, you have to look at the ocean. Cold-water fatty fish are the undisputed kings here. We’re talking salmon, mackerel, and sardines. But here’s the kicker: it matters if that salmon lived in a tank or the wild.
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A study published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology found that wild-caught salmon can have up to 75% more Vitamin D than farmed varieties. Why? Because wild fish eat plankton and smaller fish that have been chilling in the sun-drenched upper layers of the ocean. Farmed fish eat pellets. While those pellets are often fortified, they don't always match the nutrient density of a wild diet. One serving of wild sockeye can give you nearly 1,000 IU, while a farmed Atlantic fillet might only give you 250 IU. That’s a massive difference when you’re trying to hit a daily target of 600 to 2,000 IU.
Then there is cod liver oil. It’s the old-school remedy your grandparents probably swore by, and for good reason. One tablespoon contains about 1,300 IU. It’s efficient, sure, but it tastes like a wet pier. If you can stomach it, it’s arguably the fastest way to supplement via food. Just watch out for the Vitamin A levels; cod liver oil is packed with it, and too much Vitamin A can actually become toxic over long periods.
Swordfish is another heavy hitter. It’s dense. It’s meaty. It has about 560 IU per serving. But then you have the mercury conversation. You can’t eat swordfish every day without worrying about heavy metal buildup. It’s a balancing act. You want the D, but you don't want the neurological baggage.
The Strange Case of the UV-Exposed Mushroom
Mushrooms are the only "produce" item that naturally contains Vitamin D, but there’s a catch. Most mushrooms you buy at the grocery store are grown in the dark. No light, no Vitamin D.
However, mushrooms contain ergosterol. When exposed to ultraviolet light, that ergosterol converts into Vitamin D2. It's basically the same process that happens in human skin. Some commercial growers are now "pulsing" their portobellos and white buttons with UV lamps before packaging them. If the label says "High in Vitamin D," it means those mushrooms essentially got a tan before they were shipped to you.
A single portobello treated this way can provide over 400 IU. That’s huge. But keep in mind, it’s Vitamin D2, not D3. There’s a long-standing debate in the medical community about which one is better. Dr. Michael Holick, a leading expert from Boston University, has argued that D2 and D3 are roughly equivalent for maintaining levels, but many other clinical trials suggest D3 is more effective at raising long-term storage levels in the blood. If you’re plant-based, UV-treated mushrooms are your best friend, but you might need to eat more of them than you think.
Egg Yolks and the "Free-Range" Myth
Don't skip the yolk. Seriously.
The white of the egg is just protein; the fat-soluble vitamins are all tucked away in that yellow center. But like the salmon, the chicken’s lifestyle determines what has vitamin d in it when it comes to your breakfast.
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Most conventional eggs from caged hens contain a measly 20 to 40 IU per yolk. However, chickens that roam outside in the sunlight produce eggs with three to four times that amount. Some specialized "pasture-raised" eggs have been tested at upwards of 150 IU per egg. If you eat three eggs for breakfast, you’re suddenly at nearly 500 IU just from your morning meal. It’s not just about the Vitamin D, though; those yolks also carry choline and lutein. It’s a package deal.
Fortification: The Safety Net We All Use
Since natural sources are so scarce, the government stepped in decades ago to prevent rickets. That’s why your milk is fortified. In the U.S., almost all cow’s milk is spiked with about 100 IU per cup.
- Orange juice is often fortified too.
- Cereal brands like Cheerios or Special K add it to the mix.
- Plant milks (almond, soy, oat) usually match the 100 IU per cup standard of dairy.
Is it "natural"? No. Does it work? Yes. For kids who don't eat sardines (which is most kids), this fortification is the only reason they aren't dealing with bone density issues. But rely on it solely and you’re going to be drinking a lot of milk to hit the levels recommended by the Endocrine Society, which often suggests 1,500-2,000 IU for adults who are deficient.
Why Your Body Might Not Be Absorbing It
You can eat all the salmon in the world, but if your gut isn't happy, that Vitamin D is just passing through. Remember, it's fat-soluble. If you’re eating a "fat-free" diet or taking certain weight-loss medications that block fat absorption, you’re essentially flushing your Vitamin D down the toilet.
Magnesium also plays a silent, crucial role. Without enough magnesium, your body can’t convert the Vitamin D you eat into its active form (calcitriol). Research suggests that a large portion of the population is magnesium deficient, which might explain why some people take high-dose supplements and never see their blood levels rise. It's a biochemical chain reaction.
Real-World Action Steps
Knowing what has vitamin d in it is only half the battle. The other half is strategy.
- Test, don't guess. Get a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. If you're below 30 ng/mL, food alone probably won't fix it. You’re in a hole and you need a ladder (supplements) before you can maintain with food.
- Buy wild-caught. If you're going to eat fish for the nutrients, spend the extra four dollars on the wild stuff. The nutrient profile of a wild sockeye vs. a farmed fish is night and day.
- Suntan your mushrooms. If you buy regular mushrooms, take them out of the plastic, turn them gill-side up, and put them on a windowsill in direct sunlight for an hour before cooking. Even after they've been picked, they can still produce Vitamin D.
- Eat fat with your D. If you take a supplement or eat a Vitamin D-rich meal, make sure there’s some avocado, olive oil, or butter involved. You need the fat to trigger the bile release that helps absorb the vitamin.
- Check your magnesium. Make sure you’re getting enough leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. If your magnesium is low, your Vitamin D is basically "locked" and unusable.
The reality is that our modern world isn't built for Vitamin D. We work indoors, we wear sunscreen (which is good for cancer prevention but bad for D production), and we eat processed foods. Reclaiming your levels requires being intentional about these few specific foods. It’s not about a "perfect" diet; it’s about consistently hitting those fatty fish, eggs, and fortified sources while keeping an eye on your bloodwork.
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