When we think of Vitamin D, the first word that automatically comes to mind is ‘sun’. As we have all read, exposure to sunlight helps in the production of Vitamin-D in our bodies. But with a pandemic going on, none of us got the opportunity to bask in the sun’s glory, literally speaking. Apart from that it’s difficult for people living in areas where the sunlight hours are limited. Will they not be able to get Vitamin-D? That’s not true.
Sun or no sun: You can still get your Vitamin D!
What are the Sources of Vitamin D?
Most sources of Vitamin D are not plant-based. If you’re someone who follows a vegetarian diet, getting Vitamin D may be difficult. It could also lead to lesser calcium absorption and hence thinning of bones. No need to worry about it. We are here to your rescue! Here are 2 easy ways to get your Vitamin D:
1. Mushrooms
Mushrooms when exposed to UV rays of the sun, like humans can synthesize Vitamin D and are a rich source of the same. If you’re not sure if your mushrooms have been exposed to sunlight or not, you can expose them to sunlight for 6 hours, it will increase their Vitamin d content significantly.
2. Cheese
Cheese is a natural source of Vitamin D, but not in a large amount. It also depends on the kind of cheese. For example, the mozzarella cheese we use abundantly in pizzas is not very high in Vitamin D, whereas hard cheeses like cheddar contain more amount of vitamin D.
3. Fortified Foods
Nowadays, supermarkets are filled with different foods that are fortified with Vitamin D ranging from orange juice to almond milk, and even yoghurt. However, with these foods it is difficult to identify or analyse if the added Vitamin D would be actually absorbed and the presence of additional sugars, artificial flavouring and sweeteners and/or preservatives may lead to more harm than good.
4. Vitamin D Supplements
Supplements are also an amazing source for any vitamin that you are deficient of, for that matter. Even Vitamin D! Since most supplements are made of synthetic Vitamin D, one can always opt for a Vitamin D supplement that is plant-based and gets easily absorbed. OZiva Bettr.D3K2+ is a clean plant-based supplement and is further fortified with Vitamin K-27! You bargained for one, and got the goodness of two vitamins.
We may miss our sun, but we’ve got our replacements ready!
Written by Nidhi Girijan
Nidhi is a 20-year old undergrad student who is obsessed with her cat and k-pop
Last modified: March 20, 2021
