Best foods for vitamin D

While the sun is our main source of vitamin D, recent studies suggest that huge numbers of us here in the UK are deficient in this essential vitamin. Low levels of vitamin D raise the risk of bone thinning in later life, and have also been linked with tiredness, aches and pains, depression, breast cancer and heart disease. Boost your intake by adding these foods, all good sources of vitamin D, to your diet.

By Bernadette FallonPublished: 30 April 2015

Food, Vegetable, Ingredient, Produce, Leaf vegetable, Cuisine, Salad, Dishware, Tableware, Recipe,

Salmon

Salmon has by far the most vitamin D of any other food you can eat – and it doesn’t matter if you have it raw, cooked or from a tin!

Try salmon fish cakes, a tasty salmon nicoise salad or, now that we're heading into BBQ season, spicy salmon steaks on the grill.
See our top 10 salmon recipes

Vitamin D: your health update
Vitamin D: what you should know
Why the experts take vitamin D
Read the shocking facts about vitamin D

Mackerel

Food, Cuisine, Dishware, Ingredient, Tableware, Leaf vegetable, Dish, Plate, Recipe, Kitchen utensil,

This oily fish is also high in vitamin D, and has also been shown to be effective at reducing the risk of heart disease and the pain and stiffness of arthritis.

Try our smoked mackerel superfood salad, mackerel with hot tomato sauce, and find out how mackerel can boost your mood

Vitamin D: your health update
Vitamin D: what you should know
Why the experts take vitamin D
Read the shocking facts about vitamin D

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Tuna

Food, Ingredient, Cuisine, Recipe, Dish, Finger food, Cooking, Fast food, Side dish, appetizer,

A good source of vitamin D, canned tuna in a light oil has the highest levels of this essential vitamin.

Try a traditional tuna pasta with tinned tuna and anchovies, mix it up with tuna and sweetcorn burgers, or throw a fresh tuna on the BBQ to chargrill with lemon.

Vitamin D: your health update
Vitamin D: what you should know
Why the experts take vitamin D
Read the shocking facts about vitamin D

Eggs

This is one time it really doesn't matter if you choose organic or free-range, both will boost your vitamin D.

See our best breakfast and brunch egg recipes, find out how to do the perfect poached egg and see this great trick for scrambling an egg - inside its shell!

Vitamin D: your health update
Vitamin D: what you should know
Why the experts take vitamin D
Read the shocking facts about vitamin D

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Mushrooms

Food, Dishware, Cuisine, Tableware, Ingredient, Cutlery, Kitchen utensil, Dish, Recipe, Fork,

Beware! Mushrooms may be touted as a source of vitamin D, but only mushrooms exposed to UV light contain it.

See our recipes for mushroom linguine with truffle oil, couscous-stuffed mushrooms, or treat yourself to the tasty snack of posh mushrooms on toast.

Vitamin D: your health update
Vitamin D: what you should know
Why the experts take vitamin D
Read the shocking facts about vitamin D

Ricotta cheese

Cuisine, Food, Dishware, Serveware, Ingredient, Tableware, Dish, Recipe, Plate, Finger food,

This particular type of cheese has up to five times more vitamin D than other cheeses on the market.

Try our quick and easy ricotta and pea pasta, indulge in Yotam Ottolenghi's broad bean spread with roasted garlic ricotta and, for dessert, Italian ricotta cake

Vitamin D: your health update
Vitamin D: what you should know
Why the experts take vitamin D
Read the shocking facts about vitamin D

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Fortified foods

Yellow, Liquid, Ingredient, Drink, Serveware, Oil, Ghee, Gyokuro, Wheat germ oil, Green tea,

Watch out also for foods that have been fortified with vitamin D, such as cereals, milk, orange juice, margarine and yogurt.

Vitamin D: your health update
Vitamin D: what you should know
Why the experts take vitamin D
Read the shocking facts about vitamin D

Watch Next