What Are The Sources Of Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that is required by the body so as to foster the normal functioning of the parathyroid glands. These glands help in maintaining the calcium level in the body. Vitamin D also helps in the assimilation of phosphorus, calcium and other minerals in the digestive tract. In short, vitamin D is responsible for healthy calcium levels and bone development in the body. If the amount of vitamin D reduces below the expected levels, it can result in rickets in children. It can also result in the improper formation of bones and teeth. In teenage or during youth, it can result in various dental problems. It is also an essential vitamin whose intake should be increased during pregnancy so as to facilitate a healthy development of the baby’s bones.
Vitamin D plays a major role in forming the foundation of your body, your bones. Hence, it is important to have vitamin D in the body. However, the sources of vitamin D are very few. The biggest source of vitamin D is the sun. Yes, you read that right. Regular exposure to the sun can help to promote the synthesis, which takes place between the sun’s UV rays and the skin, that results in the production of vitamin D. Hence, you must expose your skin to the sun at least thrice in a week. Before you apply your sunscreen lotion, stand before the sun for some time and then when you go back home, apply your usual sun protection with SPF 15 or more.
The other source of vitamin D, though secondary, is foods. There are only a few foods that provide you with some amount of of vitamin D. Some of these foods are salmon, tuna fish, pure cod liver oil, mackerel, sardines, vitamin D fortified milk, vitamin D fortified margarine, eggs, green leafy vegetables, catfish, eel and beef liver. The only precaution that you need to take while preparing these foods is that you don’t overcook them or else all the nutrients that they possess might get destroyed.
