With the nights now officially longer than the days, it definitely feels like winter is coming. And it’s that time of year where it’s just that little bit harder to get your daily dose of Vitamin D from those beautiful natural rays. Vitamin D is the only nutrient our bodies can naturally produce, from exposure to sunlight. However, the good news is, you can get a little dose from adding a few things to your diet, that will help keep you feeling good this Autumn.

Here’s 5 foods to help:

Egg yolks

Whole eggs are a great source of vitamin D, and although we sometimes try to avoid the yolk, the fat, vitamins and minerals are found mostly in the yolk. But like us, chickens get their vitamin D from exposure to the sun, so we recommend getting free-range eggs, as they often have 3-4 times higher levels of the vitamin.

Salmon

Possibly one of the most popular fatty fish, salmon packs a punch when it comes to vitamin D. But as with egg yolks, there’s a significant difference between farmed and wild salmon. Your daily dose of vitamin D from a 100g piece of wild salmon can account for 124% of what you need vs. just 25% from farmed salmon*. Alternatively, if you don’t like fish, taking cod liver oil can pack 56% of your daily requirements.

Canned tuna

It’s no yolk (pun intended), that canned tuna is a great alternative. It’s full of flavour, easy to store and much cheaper than it’s fresh alternatives. 100g provides 34% of your daily value, but canned tuna does contain methylmercury**, so don’t over do it on the canned stuff.

Mushrooms

These little beauties are a good plant-based source of vitamin D, getting their nutrients from UV rays, like humans.  They may not pack as big a punch of vitamin D like animals, however, wild mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D2, so they are a great vegan alternative.

Oatmeal and cereal

These days, many food are fortified with vitamin D. Just half a cup, gives you 17% of your daily dose, even more the reason to get those overnight oats in the morning.

Conclusion

Of course, getting some time out in the sunshine gets tougher and tougher this time of year.  Those of us that are lucky to be more flexible with your working hours, especially in the pandemic, could get a little time in the sunshine in the day. However, if that’s not realistic, there’s plenty of alternative ways to get vitamin D in your diet now, so get out and get the D (vitamin that is).

If you have any questions on the above or would like some advice on how we could help you, visit one of our W10 gyms. Request a CALLBACK or EMAIL US we would love to hear from you.