7 Foods With More Vitamin D Than Eggs

One large egg contains about 1.1 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D, or about 6% of the daily value (DV). While eggs provide some vitamin D, many other foods contain much more. Here are seven foods that provide more vitamin D than eggs.

• Vitamin D: 34 mcg, 170% DV
• Serving size: 1 tablespoon

Cod liver oil is one of the richest food sources of vitamin D. One tablespoon of cod liver oil covers 170% of the DV, making it an excellent source.

In addition to containing significantly more vitamin D than eggs, cod liver oil is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

• Vitamin D: 16.2 mcg, 81% DV
• Serving size: 3 ounces cooked

A 3-ounce serving of cooked rainbow trout meets more than 80% of your daily vitamin D needs. Additionally, it provides a healthy dose of omega-3, zinc, selenium, and B12, making it a complete nutritious protein source.

Oily fish such as rainbow trout obtain vitamin D by eating organisms that have produced this nutrient through exposure to sunlight. This vitamin D then accumulates in the fatty tissues of the fish, which is why fatty fish are among the richest natural sources of vitamin D.

• Vitamin D: 14.2 mcg, 71% DV
• Serving size: 3 ounces cooked

A 3-ounce serving of salmon provides more than a third of your daily vitamin D needs.

In addition to vitamin D, salmon is rich in protein, B vitamins, potassium, selenium, and the carotenoid antioxidant astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a pigment that gives salmon its pink color and also has cell protective properties.

• Vitamin D: 9.2 mcg, 46% DV
• Serving size: ½ cup cooked

Getting enough vitamin D from food can be difficult for people following a plant-based diet because the richest sources are animal products.

Fortunately, some types of mushrooms are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light during or after harvest, which stimulates vitamin D production in the mushrooms. A ½ cup of cooked mushrooms exposed to UV contains almost half the DV.

• Vitamin D: 2.9 mcg, 15% DV
• Serving size: 1 cup

Milk alone is not a good source of vitamin D. However, milk is fortified with vitamin D to increase its levels of this essential nutrient.

A cup of fortified milk contains 15% of the DV, making it an excellent source.

Milk is also rich in calcium, a mineral necessary for nerve function and bone mineralization.

• Vitamin D: 3 mcg, 15% DV
• Serving size: 1 cup

Many plant-based milks, like soy and almond milks, are fortified with vitamin D and can be a much better source than eggs. For example, one cup of Silk Original soy milk contains 15% and 35% of the DV of vitamin D.

Soy milk provides a significant amount of protein. An 8-ounce serving of Silk Original Soymilk contains 8 grams of protein, making it a solid protein option for those following a plant-based diet.

• Vitamin D: 2.4 mcg, 12% DV
• Serving size: 4 sardines

In addition to their high levels of protein, calcium, B12 and selenium, sardines are a good source of vitamin D, with a serving of four sardines containing 2.4 mcg, or 12% of the DV.

Because they are rich in protective nutrients, research suggests that regular consumption of sardines may help reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.