Vitamin D
Fat-soluble vitamin produced by sun exposure. Essential for calcium absorption, bone health, and immune function.
No established daily requirement for this nutrient.
Top Foods Highest in Vitamin D
Amount per 100g serving. Values in IU per 100g.
Foods Highest in Vitamin D (Table)
| # | Food | Per 100g | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fish oil, cod liver | 10,000 IU | Fats and Oils |
| 2 | Mushrooms, brown, italian, or crimini, exposed to ultraviole | 1,276 IU | Vegetables and Vegetable Products |
| 3 | Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw | 1,135 IU | Vegetables and Vegetable Products |
| 4 | Mushroom, white, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw | 1,046 IU | Vegetables and Vegetable Products |
| 5 | Fish, mackerel, salted | 1,006 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 6 | Salmon, sockeye, canned, drained solids, without skin and bo | 859 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 7 | Fish, salmon, sockeye, canned, drained solids | 841 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 8 | Salmon, sockeye, canned, total can contents | 761 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 9 | Fish, trout, rainbow, farmed, cooked, dry heat | 759 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 10 | Fish, salmon, chinook, smoked | 685 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 11 | Fish, salmon, sockeye, cooked, dry heat | 670 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 12 | Fish, swordfish, cooked, dry heat | 666 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 13 | Fish, sturgeon, mixed species, smoked | 642 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 14 | Egg, yolk, dried | 628 IU | Dairy and Egg Products |
| 15 | Steelhead trout, dried, flesh (Shoshone Bannock) | 628 IU | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods |
| 16 | Steelhead trout, boiled, canned (Alaska Native) | 604 IU | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods |
| 17 | Fish, Salmon, pink, canned, drained solids, without skin and | 563 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 18 | Fish, salmon, pink, canned, total can contents | 547 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 19 | Fish, cisco, smoked | 530 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
| 20 | Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heat | 526 IU | Finfish and Shellfish Products |
Health Effects of Vitamin D
Vitamin D regulates calcium and phosphorus homeostasis for bone health. It also modulates immune function, cell growth, neuromuscular function, and inflammation. Functions as a hormone.
Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Insufficiency is linked to osteoporosis, increased infections, depression, and possibly autoimmune disease and cancer.
Vitamin D toxicity (usually from supplements >10,000 IU/day for months) causes hypercalcemia: nausea, kidney stones, calcification of soft tissues, cardiac arrhythmias. UL: 100µg (4,000 IU)/day.
Absorption & Interactions
Fat-soluble; absorbed in the small intestine via bile-salt-dependent passive diffusion. Vitamin D from food/supplements and skin synthesis is transported to the liver (25-hydroxylation) then kidneys (1,25-dihydroxylation) for activation.
Estimated Vitamin D Adequacy by Country
Estimated from national food supply composition (FAO food balance sheets). Shows food supply availability relative to Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), not actual intake. Does not account for fortification, supplements, or distribution inequality.
Other Vitamins
Frequently Asked Questions
How much Vitamin D do I need per day?
There is no established daily requirement for Vitamin D.
Which food has the most Vitamin D?
The food highest in Vitamin D is Fish oil, cod liver with 10,000 IU per 100g.
What does Vitamin D do in the body?
Fat-soluble vitamin produced by sun exposure. Essential for calcium absorption, bone health, and immune function.