It’s daylight savings time. The days are getting shorter and we may be finding ourselves indoors more than outdoors. Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, has resurged as a vitamin which we may need more of.
Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium into our bones, muscles and tissues. It also has shown to play a part in reducing risk for colorectal, prostate and breast cancer as well as cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure. Together with calcium, Vitamin D protects against osteoporosis.
Vitamin D can be found in two forms: vitamin D3, the form your skin makes in response to sun exposure, and that which is found in foods naturally. The second form, vitamin D2, is the form available in dietary supplements and is added to certain foods. It is measured in international units (IU) where 1 IU is 0.025 micrograms of vitamin D. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, both forms are equivalent, but at high doses vitamin D2 is less potent.
How much do we need a day? Adults 19–70 years and teens need 600 IU or 15 mcg daily. Adults 71 years and older need 800 IU or 20 mcg.
Vitamin D3 is found in the following foods:
Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled, 1 large- 44 IU
Cereal, ready-to-eat, ¾–1 cup 40 or more IU
Fortified orange juice, ½ cup 68 IU
Fortified milk, 1 cup 108–128 IU
Sardines, canned in oil, 3 ounces 164 IU
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces 447 IU – other types 3.5 ounces 360 IU
As well as other oily fish like trout, mackerel, herring, fresh tuna, anchovies, swordfish, and Orange Roughy.
The new food label, which all food manufacturers need to comply with by 2020, will show the amount of mcg of vitamin D in the food product. The old food label shows Vitamin D in a percentage of daily value.
Make vitamin D-rich foods part of your food choices. Start by making this tuna noodle casserole. It uses tuna, one of the best sources of vitamin D. This is a quick and easy recipe. Have ingredients on hand in the pantry.
EASY TUNA AND PEAS OVER NOODLES
1/2 pound egg noodles (dry)
10 ounces reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 – 12 oz can tuna packed in water (drained)
1 cup canned peas (rinsed, drained) or frozen
Milk if needed
Cook noodles, drain. In a saucepan, heat soup until hot. Stir in tuna and peas. Cook 5 minutes. Add milk to desired consistency.
Pour over cooked egg noodles and serve.
