Foods High in Vitamin D
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is found naturally in only a small number of foods — chiefly fatty fish, fish liver oils, and UV-exposed mushrooms. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is present in a few non-animal sources. Most dietary vitamin D in the modern diet comes from fortified milk, plant milks, cereals, and juice. This table lists typical values per serving in both IU and µg (1 µg = 40 IU).
| Food | Serving | IU | µg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cod liver oil | 1 tablespoon (15 mL) | 1,360 | 34.0 |
| Rainbow trout, farmed, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 645 | 16.2 |
| Salmon, sockeye, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 570 | 14.2 |
| Swordfish, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 566 | 14.1 |
| Mushrooms, portabella, UV-exposed | 1/2 cup (43 g) | 493 | 12.3 |
| Salmon, farmed, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 447 | 11.2 |
| Salmon, wild Atlantic, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 388 | 9.7 |
| Mushrooms, UV-exposed white, raw | 1/2 cup (43 g) | 366 | 9.2 |
| Herring, Atlantic, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 306 | 7.7 |
| Mackerel, Atlantic, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 306 | 7.7 |
| Halibut, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 196 | 4.9 |
| Sardines, canned in oil | 85 g (3 oz) | 165 | 4.1 |
| Tuna, light, canned in water | 85 g (3 oz) | 154 | 3.9 |
| Milk, 2%, fortified | 1 cup (237 mL) | 120 | 3.0 |
| Soy milk, fortified | 1 cup (237 mL) | 100 | 2.5 |
| Oat milk, fortified | 1 cup (237 mL) | 100 | 2.5 |
| Almond milk, fortified | 1 cup (237 mL) | 100 | 2.5 |
| Orange juice, fortified | 1 cup (237 mL) | 100 | 2.5 |
| Infant formula, fortified | 1 cup (237 mL) | 100 | 2.5 |
| Milk, whole, fortified | 1 cup (237 mL) | 98 | 2.5 |
| Yogurt, fortified | 170 g (6 oz) | 80 | 2.0 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified | 1 serving | 80 | 2.0 |
| Margarine, fortified | 1 tablespoon (14 g) | 60 | 1.5 |
| Beef liver, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 42 | 1.0 |
| Egg yolk, large | 1 yolk (17 g) | 41 | 1.0 |
| Anchovies, canned in oil | 28 g (1 oz) | 22 | 0.6 |
| Pork chop, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 22 | 0.6 |
| Cheese, cheddar | 43 g (1.5 oz) | 17 | 0.4 |
| Mushrooms, portabella, raw | 1/2 cup (43 g) | 4 | 0.1 |
| Chicken breast, cooked | 85 g (3 oz) | 4 | 0.1 |
Values are typical means from the USDA FoodData Central database; individual products vary, especially fortified items. RDA (600 IU/day) is the IOM recommendation for adults 19–70; older adults require 800 IU/day.
D2 vs D3 in food
Ergocalciferol (D2) is produced by yeasts and fungi from ergosterol under UV light and is the form found in mushrooms and some fortified products. Cholecalciferol (D3) is the form synthesised in animal skin from 7-dehydrocholesterol, and is found in animal-source foods and most modern supplements. On a per-mole basis, D3 raises serum 25(OH)D approximately 60–90% more effectively than D2 at equivalent doses (Tripkovic et al. 2012), so many nutrition scientists prefer D3 for repletion.
Fortified foods
Fortification is the primary dietary source of vitamin D for most people in North America and Europe. Since 1932 (in the US), milk has been routinely fortified at approximately 100 IU per 8-oz serving. Fortification levels of plant milks, orange juice, and breakfast cereals vary by manufacturer — always check the Nutrition Facts panel.
Reaching the RDA from food alone
The RDA is 600 IU/day (15 µg) for adults through age 70 and 800 IU/day (20 µg) for adults 71+. Meeting this from food alone requires either regular fatty-fish consumption (roughly one 3-oz serving of salmon plus a glass of fortified milk daily) or targeted supplementation. In practice, most people who don't get adequate summer sun exposure will need a supplement to consistently reach the RDA.