5 Vitamin D-Rich Foods to Protect Your Mood

January 2, 2025

Unsplash

Often called the “happy vitamin,” vitamin D plays a crucial role in boosting mood and offers a range of other health benefits. It maintains bone and teeth health, suppors the immune and nervous systems, and assiss with heart and brain function.

We produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but many of us don’t get the recommended amount per day, which ranges from 600 to 1000 IU depending on the person. That’s because we’re all spending more time indoors and when we do go outside, we use sunscreen. This is where vitamin D rich foods can help boost our intake. While the list of foods high in this “happy vitamin” is limited, there are a few great options. So, before you consider a supplement, try adding these foods rich in vitamin D to your diet.

1. Eggs

Eggs, Vitamin D Rich Foods, Unsplash — Credit: Unsplash

More specifically, try eating more egg yolks. Even more specifically, egg yolks from pasture-raised chickens are best. Chickens raised indoors lay eggs with yolks that are not a good source of vitamin D. But if the chickens have ample opportunity to run around outside in the sun, the yolks they produce can have three to four times the amount of vitamin D. Another way to get your fill of vitamin D is eating eggs from chickens given feed enriched with Vitamin D.

Of course, there are endless ways to eat eggs. Here are just a few ideas.

2. Salmon

Salmon, Vitamin D Rich Foods, Unsplash — Credit: Unsplash

Salmon is another good source of vitamin D, but again, it’s all about what you buy. While you’ll get about 250 IU in a serving of farmed salmon, you can get up to 4 times that amount in wild salmon, depending on just how much sunlight the fish absorbed in its lifetime.

Serving simple salmon fillets for dinner is an easy way to get your fill, but try slipping some smoked salmon into your scrambled eggs for breakfast or opening a can of salmon for an affordable lunch.

3. Mushrooms

Mushrooms, Vitamin D Rich Foods, Unsplash — Credit: Unsplash

Fun fact: The only plant-based source of vitamin D comes from mushrooms. They need ample sunlight so the best mushrooms are wild ones. Only buy commercially grown mushrooms that use UV lights to force vitamin D production.

In terms of slipping mushrooms into your everyday diet, try mushroom coffee for breakfast, in a grain bowl for lunch, or tossed with pasta for dinner.

4. Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout, Vitamin D Rich Foods, Unsplash — Credit: Unsplash

Rainbow trout, along with salmon, is another great option if you’re looking to eat more vitamin D rich foods. A 3-ounce serving of freshwater rainbow trout has over 640 IUs of vitamin D, which is more than the daily recommended amount. Farm-raised or wild rainbow trout works, but farm-raised comes with lower mercury content.

The fish pairs well with a variety of ingredients. Try a Mediterranean twist with baked trout alongside a tangy, yogurt-based sauce. Or get it on the grill alongside fresh asparagus with a lemon butter sauce.

5. Canned Tuna

Canned Tuna, Vitamin D Rich Foods, Unsplash — Credit: Unsplash

Canned tuna is one of the easiest vitamin D-rich foods to incorporate into your diet and offers affordability, too. Perfect for tuna sandwiches, salads, spreads, or even sushi, canned tuna comes in a variety of forms so you can get your fill.

An average can, or about 3 ounces of tuna, contains 231 IUs of vitamin D, as well as an excellent source of protein on a time-crunch. Choose between light, seasoned, Albacore, Yellowfin, and more, depending on personal preference and nutrition goals. Some of the best brands for vitamin D include Safecatch and Wild Planet.