As if we don’t have enough to worry about with respect to nutrition, a set of new studies has shown that children are receiving way below their required amount of vitamin D.

What is vitamin D? Why is it important? Why aren’t kids getting enough? And what are its best food sources?

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Image by Thai Jasmine via Flickr

Happy Friday everyone. Today, a quick overview of Vitamin D.

What you need to know:
What Vitamin D does:
1. Bone builder – helps our body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus (bone building blocks).
2. Cancer fighter – keeps cancer cells from growing and dividing.
3. Infection fighter – functions in controlling infections.

Sources of Vitamin D:
1. Sunlight – 15 minutes a day is considered a good amount of time. The sun’s ultra-violet rays help our body manufacture vitamin D.
2. Naturally in foods – fatty fish (like salmon, sardines, herring, catfish, tuna, and mackerel), egg yolks, liver
3. Added to certain foods – fortified milk and cereals. Some other dairy products may be fortified as well.
4. Supplements – for example in a multivitamin.

Recent News:
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently recommended doubling the daily amount of Vitamin D for kids. The amount suggested is 400 IUs (international units) which is the equivalent of drinking 4 cups of milk a day.

What to do at the supermarket:

Look at the nutrition labels of your usual dairy milk, soy milk, cereals and take note of the vitamin content. Add fish to your family’s diet. Canned sardines and tuna are a good and quick source of vitamin D as well – 1 ounce of canned tuna will provide 75 IU; sardines – double that.

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