Solar Energy: Which Foods Contain Vitamin D (and How It Is Useful)

In the autumn-winter period, we often face fatigue, sleepiness and irritability. This condition can be explained quite simply: in the cold season, daylight hours become shorter, due to which the amount of solar energy is significantly reduced. Along with ultraviolet light, calciferol, better known as vitamin D, is gradually disappearing from our lives. About why it is important to restore its balance in the body, and most importantly, how to maintain it at the desired level, a general practitioner, nutritionist at the Austrian health center told us VerbMayr Ekaterina Eremina.

Why is vitamin D needed?

Vitamin D is produced in the skin by exposure to ultraviolet rays. But in order for the body to receive sufficient sunlight for the synthesis of the vitamin, a number of conditions must be met. The surface of the skin should be about 40% open, the angle of incidence of sunlight should be suitable. Clean air is also an important factor. Considering that city dwellers, even in the warm season, do not always have the opportunity to afford sunbathing, with the arrival of cold weather, we are all at risk associated with a lack of vitamin D.

This micronutrient is essential for the proper functioning of the entire body. First of all, this vitamin is responsible for the proper functioning of our nervous, immune and endocrine systems. Numerous studies have shown that taking vitamin D is not the last place in the complex of measures for the prevention of cancer. It is also interesting that it has a pronounced anti-inflammatory function. With normal levels of vitamin D in the body, the skin heals much faster.

Vitamin D also plays an important role in women's health. It is this element that slows down the aging process, and also contributes to the normal course of pregnancy. After childbirth, vitamin D helps a woman's body recover faster.

How do you know if you are lacking vitamin D?

Vitamin D hypovitaminosis is a frequent occurrence. According to statistics, from 23% to 97% of Russians suffer to some extent from its deficiency: the percentage depends on the region and the state of human health.

People usually mistake the first symptoms of vitamin deficiency for fatigue and lack of sleep. Muscle weakness, insomnia, loss of appetite, and blurred vision can indeed indicate overwork. If you do not take control of the "vitamin issue" in time, the consequences can be much more serious. Frequent colds, the deposition of calcium salts in organs, caries and gum disease, fragility of bones - all these are the main symptoms of calciferol hypovitaminosis.

This condition is especially dangerous for children. Usually vitamin deficiency manifests itself in the form of slow growth and can provoke the development of scoliosis (see also: "Why the body lacks vitamins").

How to Eat to Replenish Sun Vitamin Levels?

In order to quickly and effectively solve the problem of hypovitaminosis, experts often recommend synthetic vitamins. However, the need for their quantity directly depends on your physiological characteristics - height, weight, etc. The optimal dosage can be prescribed by a nutraceutical or a general practitioner - after you get tested for 25 (OH) D.

You should definitely revise your diet by opting for foods rich in vitamin D. The leader in its content is fatty fish. Salmon, for example, contains more than 500 IU (international units) of this micronutrient, which, in turn, is 60% of its daily value. Mackerel, herring, and tuna are also high in vitamin D (see also: “Choosing the Right Fish: Expert Tips”).

The cod liver is also the record holder for calciferol content. A simple, but nutritious and delicious salad made from this product with the addition of eggs (the yolks of which also contain some vitamin D) and fresh green onions can be a great snack or a complete dinner.

Oysters contain about 320 IU of vitamin D per 100 gram serving of the wild species. Dairy products are also healthy in reasonable quantities. Sour cream, for example, contains up to 50 IU per 100 grams, yoghurt, cheese and butter - 40-60 IU. The most prominent representatives of fortified foods are tofu and soy milk, as well as various types of mushrooms.

PS:

Vitamin D is an extremely important trace element, the content of which in the body must be monitored, because our immunity, well-being and mood depend on it. A person needs to get 600 IU of vitamin D per day (in the absence of vitamin D deficiency). If the body is deficient, then the need for a daily dose increases. Here, unfortunately, products alone are indispensable. In this case, an additional intake of vitamin D is required with an individual dose selection and supervision by the attending physician.