According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine, 42 percent of Americans meet the criteria for clinical vitamin D insufficiency.
However, if you live in the northern hemisphere at this time of year, almost everyone runs the risk of being short of the 'sunshine' vitamin. Apart from popping a daily vitamin D supplement, what's the best natural way of getting a good vitamin D intake (in the absence of sunshine)?
Egg Yolks: One egg yolk contains 10 percent of your daily value of vitamin D.
Salmon: Salmon is not only a great source of omega-3, one three-ounce serving also provides 71 percent of your daily intake of vitamin D.
Tuna and Sardines: Although not quite as rich in vitamin D as salmon, this versatile fish makes it easy to up your vitamin D intake in sandwich or sushi form.
Mushrooms: This superfood is great for vitamin D. A handful of white mushrooms offers 46 percent of your daily vitamin D needs, so add some to your next soup, pizza, or scrambled eggs.
Milk: Milk is one of the most well-known sources of vitamin D, but if you don’t consume dairy, don’t panic, the other options in this list are great choices too!
Please note that, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, it's advised to not take daily vitamin D supplements containing more than 4,000 IU unless monitored under the supervision of your doctor.