GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN D // this post was put together by request for someone enquiring about food sources of vitamin D. This is an important topic because around 1 in 6 adults and almost 20% of children in the UK have vitamin D levels lower than government recommendations. Older people, the housebound and people from Black and South Asian communities are more likely to have lower levels of the vital vitamin D! 🌞  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀  Did you know that food sources of vitamin D only provide 5-10% of the daily vitamin D requirements for most people? Sunlight is by far the most important factor in preventing vitamin D deficiency! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀  There are almost no natural sources of vitamin D except for fatty fish, eggs and organ meat 🥩🐟🍳 there are fortified versions available for dairy products, orange juice, vegan milks, faux meat products and cereals. This may differ by country. In Australia, it is mandatory for margarine to be vitamin D-fortified. Fun fact — you can also buy mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light as a source of vit D! 🍄  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀  ⛅️ Reasons we need vitamin D:  — Assists with calcium absorption & essential bone development and maintenance  — Required for hormone function  — Plays a role in regulating the immune & nervous systems ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀  ⛅️ Who is at risk of deficiency?  — People who have minimal sunlight exposure (older people and those living in care, people who cover their skin for cultural/religious reasons, those with indoor jobs)  — People taking certain medications (e.g. anti-epileptic)   — People with gastrointestinal disease  — Pregnant and postmenopausal women  — People with a darker skin tone ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀  ⛅️ How much do I need?  The recommendations on this slide for 10-15 mins per day are based on the UK climate.  In simple terms, they have found that – for lighter skin types – daily sunlight exposure for 10-15 minutes between April and September provides sufficient year-round vitamin D while also minimising the risks of sunburn and skin cancer. For darker skin types, 25-40 minutes is recommended. Check your local guidelines if you are located in a different country 🤗  🙋‍♀️ Questions? Did you find this helpful?