Healthy Living: Vitamin D
It is also important to get enough vitamin D, which helps your body take in
calcium. You can get vitamin D through sunlight and foods like milk. You need 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight to the hands, arms, and face, two to three times a week, to get enough vitamin D. The amount of time depends on how sensitive your skin is to light, use of sunscreen, skin color, and pollution. Vitamin D is also available in certain foods or in your vitamin pills. It's measured in international units (IU).
Here's how much vitamin D you need each day.
|
Ages
|
IU per day
|
|
19-50
|
200
|
|
51-70
|
400
|
|
71 and older
|
600
|
Here are some foods to help you get the vitamin D you need. Check the food labels for more information.
|
Food
|
Portion
|
IU
|
Percent
|
|
Salmon, cooked
|
3½ oz
|
360
|
90
|
|
Milk, non-fat, reduced-fat, whole, vitamin D-fortified
|
1 cup
|
98
|
25
|
|
Egg (vitamin D is in the yolk)
|
1 egg
|
25
|
6
|
|
Pudding (made from mix and vitamin D-fortified milk)
|
1/2 cup
|
50
|
10
|
While milk is a good source of vitamin D, most yogurts are not.
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