Foods high in vitamin D are essential to a healthy diet. The fat-soluble nutrient, made by our bodies through absorbing sunlight or found in food and supplements, does a lot for our overall health—which is why it’s so alarming to learn that most adults are deficient. According to a 2023 study, 35% of adults in the US are suffering from a vitamin D deficiency, and that can lead to a number of issues: poor immune system, risk of certain cancers, and liver and kidney disease, to name just a few.
According to the Mayo Clinic,, your goal should be roughly 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day. Amelia Sherry, MPH, RD, clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai, says that vitamin D content is not high in a lot of foods, but the ones that do have a lot of the nutrient are easy to incorporate into any diet. Here are some of the most common foods rich in vitamin D.
Key Takeaways
Fatty fish, such as salmon, are a prime source of vitamin D. According to the US Department of Agriculture, three ounces of salmon can contain anywhere from 383 to 570 IU of the nutrient, depending on which type of salmon you choose.
And if you’re debating between wild-caught salmon and farmed salmon, you can’t go wrong with either. “Both are excellent sources, but meaningful differences exist,” says Amy Shapiro, registered dietitian and founder of Real Nutrition. But if you had to choose, wild-caught salmon tends to have significantly higher vitamin D levels since it has a natural diet, Shapiro says. Farmed salmon, by comparison, can have anywhere from 25% to 75% less, depending on its feed.
Other fish you can turn to include rainbow trout. The USDA says that three ounces contains 645 IU of vitamin D.
Look to fortified foods for vitamin D. One cup of orange juice, for example, contains 100 IU of the nutrient.
Experts have long recommended cod-liver oil to help with a vitamin D deficiency, as it’s one of the richest food forms of vitamin D you can find. According to the USDA, one teaspoon contains 450 IU.
Sardines are among the healthiest fish options. But besides its many benefits, such as improving brain function and preventing hair loss, it is packed with vitamin D. According to the USDA, one can of sardines contains 164 IU of the nutrient.
Milk is rich not only in calcium but also in vitamin D. One cup, according to the USDA, contains 115 IU. If you normally drink cow’s milk, it can provide about 100 to 120 IU per cup, Shapiro says. Plant-based milk (think almond, soy, and oat) can provide equal or higher amounts than cow’s milk as long as it is fortified. Vitamin D content in milk depends less on the source and more on fortification, she says.
The pros of cow’s milk generally include its other nutrients, such as protein and calcium, and the fact that it has only one ingredient. Plant-based milk is lactose-free and vegan-friendly and may be lower in fat and calories depending on what other ingredients are in it. So this comes down to personal preference.
Yogurt is an easy way to incorporate vitamin D into your diet. The USDA says eight ounces of yogurt contains 116 IU.
Eggs are great for many reasons, and egg yolks can be a source of vitamin D. There’s just one catch: You’ll need several eggs to make a meaningful impact on your vitamin D needs. One egg provides only about 40 to 50 IU, which is about 5 to 7% of your daily needs. “Consider them a supporting source,” Shapiro says, “not a primary one.”
Vitamin D does a lot for the body, but it’s best known and most studied for its role in improving bone health, according to Sherry. “Vitamin D works together with calcium to build and strengthen bones, improves immune and muscle function, reduces inflammation, helps with cell growth, and improves the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar,” she explains.
But you want to be careful not to take too much of the nutrient. While the sun won’t cause this (“If your body has adequate vitamin D, it won’t keep making it from UV light,” she says), taking too many vitamin D supplements or getting too much of it from food can increase your body’s absorption of calcium. When that happens, you might experience nausea, vomiting, irritability, muscle weakness, and fatigue. “Vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means that any excess you take doesn’t get lost in urine,” she says. “Extra vitamin D gets stored in the body, and too much can be toxic.” So you must find the correct balance.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 IU for babies under 1 year old, 600 IU for those under 70, and 800 IU for those over 70.
Shapiro says that while vitamin D is one of the hardest nutrients to get from food alone on a vegan diet, there are some things you can do. First, she recommends eating fortified foods such as plant milks, cereals, and oranges, as well as looking to UV-exposed mushrooms (which naturally produce vitamin D) and getting more sun exposure if you’re able to (and don’t forget to wear sunscreen). She also says that many vegans would benefit from a vitamin D supplement.
Supplements are necessary if you are deficient in the nutrient, which Sherry says is common among people with limited sun exposure and who spend little time outdoors. People with darker skin tones may also have a harder time producing vitamin D from sunlight alone. If you’re not eating enough vitamin D–rich food in your diet or have digestive diseases like celiac, you may need a supplement.
But before you buy a vitamin D supplement, she says you have to confirm that you are actually deficient in it. To confirm a vitamin D deficiency, you must take a blood test. Then a doctor or dietitian can help determine how much vitamin D you should take and for how long. So when in doubt, definitely see a doctor to see if this is the right option for you.
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