Modern science often adds vitamins and/or minerals to processed foods.
For example, vitamin D is added to most dairy products and some grains, but most of the vitamin D is found in animal products such as oily fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel) and beef liver.
Take a closer look at the levels in different foods and supplements;
- Cod Liver Oil – 1360 International Units (IU) per tablespoon.
- Cooked Trout – 645 IU in three ounces
- Cooked Swordfish – 566 IU in three ounces
- Cooked Salmon – 447 IU in three ounces
- Mushrooms (white, raw, sliced & exposed to UV light) – 366 IU in ½ cup
- Tuna (canned in water & drained) – 154 IU in three ounces
- Fortified Orange Juice – 137 IU in one cup
- Fortified Milk – 115 to 124 IU in one cup
- Fortified Soy, Almond, or Oat Milk – 100 to 144 IU in one cup
- Fortified Yogurt – 80 IU in six ounces
- Sardines (caned in oil & drained) – 46 IU in two sardines
- Scrambled Egg – 44 IU in one large egg
- Cooked Beef Liver – 42 IU in three ounces
- Egg Yolk – 41 IU in one large yolk
- Fortified Cereal – 40 IU in one cup
- Cheddar Cheese – 12 IU in one ounce
- Swiss Cheese – 6 IU in one ounce
- Portabella Mushrooms – 4 IU in ½ cup
- Fruits & Vegetables – 0 IU
- Grains & Cereals – 0 IU
As you can see, certain animal products contain more vitamin D than other foods. It’s important to check the nutrition facts to make sure how much vitamin D (and other nutrients) your foods actually contain.
Not all fortified foods contain the same amounts of vitamin D.