Vitamin D: The Most Underrated Vitamin in All of Nutrition

Vitamin D, that vitamin you think about when you go to purchase a carton of milk may be much more important to your diet than you think. Many people are deficient in a lot of different vitamins. However, this one vitamin could make a big difference in your life. Some say vitamin D is the most underrated vitamin in all of nutrition. Since a large amount of people are lactose intolerant, milk is not a popular item on a whole of of people's shopping list. However, if everyone could get their recommended intake of vitamin D in, they could have stronger bones and prevent several diseases. Here's why vitamin D is important and where you can get it.

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that's naturally present in a very small number of foods. Sometimes, vitamin D is added to foods., and you can can get it as a dietary supplement. Our own bodies produce vitamin D when the sun's rays hit our skin. This triggers Vitamin D synthesis. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption. It's also crucial for the growth of our bones. People who lack vitamin D run the risk of having thin, brittle, or misshapen bones. They also run the risk of developing osteoporosis.

One study in Health Day News showed that a lack of vitamin D preceded the onset of Parkinson's Disease. The study's author also noted that vitamin D deficiency has been linked to several other clinical disorders such as impaired balance, decreased muscle strength, certain types of cancer, and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

While natural sunlight is really the best way to get vitamin D, (and you don't get the vitamin D rays through the glass window of your car or home), there are several foods that contain vitamin D. They include the flesh of fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackeral. There's a small amount in cheese and egg yolks. Some mushrooms have been exposed to the vitamin from being in the sunlight.

Milk is usually fortified with vitamin D, but dairy products that are made from milk, such as ice cream or cheese are usually not fortified with vitamin D. A lot of breakfast cereals are also fortified with vitamin D. Foods with the highest amounts of vitamin D include cod liver oil and cooked salmon.

Sunscreens with a SPF of 8 or more seem to block sunlight rays that produce this in our bodies. To get adequate doses of vitamin D each day, consider including supplements in your diet and allowing your skin to get weekly exposure to the sun. It could save your bones and your life.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind/
http://www.naturalnews.com/003069.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_109815.html