Published : May 14, 2026 7:23 PM IST
Sun is one of the good natural source of vitamin D. The body naturally synthesizes vitamin D when it's exposed to sunlight. Exposing the early morning sun several times a week to levels of spending around 15 to 30 minutes can be good to boost levels. Expose parts of your arms, face or legs, without sun protection, for a limited amount of time before they start to feel too hot.
Eat fish products that have a good amount of vitamin D of your own, such as fatty fish like salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel in their natural form. These fish can be eaten once or twice per week to help keep your vitamin D levels up, plus give you a healthy dose of omega 3 fatty acids for heart health. Grilled, baked, or lightly-cooked fish is healthier than fish that is deep fried.
Vitamin D fortification has become a practice in order to boost our daily intake of this vitamin and is added to many food products in the course of everyday life. Fortified vitamin D foods, such as fortified milk, plant milk (soy or almond), yogurt, and orange juice may be consumed naturally by such foods to help achieve the target daily intake.
Egg yolks are a good source of vitamin D, and can be added easily to breakfast or snacks. Mushrooms are also good, particularly those that have grown in the sun and under UV light. Some mushrooms (e.g., maitakes and portobellos) offer greater vitamin D. A good option is to add mushrooms to soups, salads, sandwiches or stir-fry dishes.
Being active outdoors provides a two-in-one service; physical activity plus sunshine. Guiding activities such as walking, cycling, gardening, yoga in the park, or outdoor sports will benefit vitamin D levels and help support and promote heart health, mood and fitness. Any outdoor activity, no matter how simple can be beneficial over time.