Sources of VITAMIN D

Prefer to obtain VITAMIN D from Sun and Food

Food

• Natural D is best - Since vitamin D levels are so critically balanced with other nutrients, prefer to obtain D3 from sun or food sources, rather than taking unnatural quantities of isolated D3 (or synthetically derived D2) as a supplement.
• Oily fish - stored in their fat, is vitamin D made from the vitamin D precursor found in algae. Farm-raised salmon are probably poor sources of D, since they are unlikely to have eaten much algae;
• Fish liver oil
• Vertebrate mammals - Vitamin D is made from precursors in lichen and green grass. Vitamin D is in the butterfat of ruminant animals that feed on green grass. Like humans, pigs that spend time in the sunlightconvert sunlight to vitamin D in their skin, and store it in their fat.
• Eggs - contain vitamin D  if the chickens have obtained it from insects or fishmeal.
• Vitamin D is not transferred in breast milk - only Vitamin D fortified milk contains any significant amount of vitamin D; the best source of Vitamin D for babies is by exposing skin to the sun - the same as for older children and adults.

Food Sources of vitamin D3
High vitamin D Cod liver oil -1150 IU/ tsp.	Oily fish(E.g. mackerel, salmon, herring) -~400 IU/3.5 oz
Butter and milk from grass-fed cows 1 cup whole milk(VITAMIN D added, look for the D3 form, not D2) -98 IU   Eggs from chickens whose diet contains vitamin D.   1 large fried egg - 17 IU