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Nutrition

Essential nutrients: the best sources of vitamin D

17/10/20241 min read

Written byMedico Digital

Reviewed byHazel Clarke

Young man laying in green grass with flowers. People fatigue from work. Summer sleeping and relaxation techniques. Vitamin D sunbathing. Man power nap with eye closed. Rest after work from home

Ever wondered why you feel so much better after a sunny day? There’s a good chance it’s not just the warmth - it’s the vitamin D! But did you know that there are other ways to get your daily dose?

Summary

1Vitamin D from the sun

Most of your vitamin D actually comes from the exposure of your skin to sunlight. This is because, when our skin is exposed to sunlight…

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2Vitamin D food sources

From October to late March, it’s important to top up your levels in other ways, such as eating more vitamin D-rich foods and taking a daily…

Jump to details below

3The best vitamin D supplement

There’s no good or bad vitamin D supplement, but there are a range of supplements available so you can find the one that works best for you…

Jump to details below

Shop all Vitamin D

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Vitamin D from the sun
Vitamin D food sources
Vegan sources of vitamin D
The best vitamin D supplement
The final say
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Explore related topics

Nutrition

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that your body needs to keep your bones and muscles healthy and support normal immune function.^1,2

Official UK guidelines outline that from the age of one, we all need 10 micrograms (μg) (400 IU) of vitamin D a day to maintain good health.²

It’s important to get enough vitamin D, as long-term deficiency (very low levels) can lead to rickets in children, and bone pain, muscle weakness and increased risk of fractures in adults.^3,4

Did you know that most people in the UK don’t get enough vitamin D? According to 2022 government data, around one in six adults and almost one in five children in the UK are vitamin D deficient.³ But not to worry, as this article provides useful tips and sources of vitamin D to ensure you’re getting enough.

So where exactly does vitamin D come from? And how can you make sure you’re getting your recommended daily dose to avoid deficiency? Keep reading to find out.

Vitamin D from the sun

It makes sense to assume that, like the majority of other essential nutrients, we’d be able to get most of our vitamin D from the food we eat. But this just isn’t the case.

Most of your vitamin D actually comes from the exposure of your skin to sunlight.^5,6This is because, when our skin is exposed to sunlight, it absorbs ultraviolet (UV) rays, which allow the body to naturally produce vitamin D.^6,7

If you live in a hot and sunny country, getting all your vitamin D from the sun can be a breeze. But it’s not so easy to get the ‘sunshine vitamin’ if you live in the UK, where UV light is only strong enough to be absorbed by the skin between late March/early April and the end of September.^2,5(And even during summer months, you may need a helping hand!)

Young woman with curly hair smiling while standing outside in a park on a sunny summer afternoon

Thankfully, experts suggest that just five to 30 minutes of sun exposure to your face, arms, hands and legs between the hours of 10am and 4pm each day is sufficient for your body to be able to make the vitamin D it needs.¹ So, be sure to take the opportunity to go outside whenever cloudy skies break.

However, always remember to protect your skin when going outside. To minimise your risk of skin cancer, make sure you always apply sun protection factor (SPF) when heading outdoors.^5,8

Vitamin D food sources

While catching a few rays in the summer months is more or less achievable (depending on where you live), it’s not so easy to do in the autumn and winter. During this time, the body starts to use vitamin D that it has stored up in the sunnier months.⁵

However, these stores alone aren’t enough to provide you with the vitamin D you need every day until spring has sprung. So, from October to late March, it’s important to top up your levels in other ways, such as eating more vitamin D-rich foods and taking a daily vitamin D supplement (more on this below).^2,5

Poached egg with salmon and guacamole on toast. Delicious breakfast. Food recipe background. Close up.

Foods that contain vitamin D include:^1,2,5

oily, fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, trout, herrings and kippers
red meat, in particular beef liver
eggs, particularly the yolks
canned tuna

Let’s take a look at just how much vitamin D these foods have, as some of them have more of the vitamin than others.¹

Food	Amount of vitamin D per serving¹
Trout	16.2μg
Salmon	14.2μg
Sardines	1.2μg
Egg (whole)	1.1μg
Beef liver	1μg
Canned tuna	1μg

As you can see, oily fish have the highest levels of vitamin D by far. But if you don’t enjoy eating fish, you could consider taking cod liver oil instead. One tablespoon can give you around 34μg of vitamin D and some cod liver tablets and capsules could potentially provide even more.¹ Make sure you only take one form of vitamin D, as you could end up taking too much.

Vegan sources of vitamin D

Many of the main food sources of vitamin D can’t be eaten when following a vegan diet.

Close up of professional Chef cook hands roasts champignons with cream in wok pan for Mediterranean cuisine. Flying mushrooms in motion levitation.

Thankfully, there are some plant-based options rich in this nutrient, including several types of mushrooms and fortified products such as certain cereals, plant-based milks and margarines.^1,9,10Mushrooms are also a good source of vitamin D. Although the amount can vary depending on the type of mushroom, there’s between 4.07–9.37μg per 100g portion.¹⁰

While it’s helpful to incorporate more foods that are high in vitamin D into your diet, it’s important to know that your diet alone will cover only a small proportion of your daily requirement of this nutrient, i.e. around 5 to 10%.^8,9

An egg, for example, contains 1.1μg of vitamin D, which is only 10% of your daily requirement.^1,11And one cup (around 235mL) of fortified soy, almond or oat milk may provide around 2.5 to 3.6μg of vitamin D.¹

This is why vitamin D supplements are important to consider all year round.

The best vitamin D supplement

If you’re unable to get all the vitamin D from the sun and your diet (which is likely with our gloomy British weather), you can easily and effectively top up your levels with a vitamin D supplement to reach the recommended 10μg a day. There’s no good or bad vitamin D supplement, but there are a range of supplements available so you can find the one that works best for you.

To get you started, we recommend trying our very own Holland & Barrett Vitamin D 400 I.U 10ug tablets. With 90 tablets per bottle, your vitamin D needs will be covered for three whole months for just £2.49.

If you’re looking for something specific, we stock a wide and diverse range of vitamin D supplements, from tablets to gummies to sprays, for both children and adults.

Have a read of our guide to the best vitamin D supplements to discover which one might best suit your specific needs.

The final say

Whether it’s spring, summer, autumn or winter, make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D every day to help keep your body healthy and functioning as it should.

Spend time in the sun, chow down on vitamin D-rich foods and top up with supplements from the Holland & Barrett vitamin D range.

Disclaimer

The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.