Vitamin D-rich food chooser

Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium, which gives bones their strength and hardness.

Alongside sunlight, you can get vitamin D from certain foods. There are also a growing number of foods with added vitamin D, known as 'vitamin D-fortified' foods. Check the labels on these for information about how much vitamin D they provide.

Foods providing around 20 micrograms of vitamin D per average portion

• Grilled herring* - 1 portion (119g) 19.2 micrograms

Foods providing around 12-13 micrograms of vitamin D per average portion

• Canned pink salmon in brine* - 1 small can (100g drained weight) 13.6 micrograms
• Grilled salmon* - 1 portion (170g) 13.3 micrograms
• Grilled kipper fillet* - 1 portion (130g) 13.1 micrograms
• Grilled rainbow trout fillet* - 1 portion (155g) 12.7 micrograms
• Smoked mackerel* - 1 portion (150g) 12.3 micrograms

Foods providing around 3-4 micrograms of vitamin D per average portion

• Some malted hot drinks (check the label) - 1 mug (25g) 4.6 micrograms
• Cooked crab* - 1 small can (85g) 3.5 micrograms
• Tinned sardines in tomato sauce* - 1 small can (100g) 3.3 micrograms
• Scrambled eggs or plain omelette - 2 eggs (120g) 3.3 micrograms

Foods providing around 1-2 micrograms of vitamin D per average portion

• Build-up powdered sachet (shake) - 1 sachet (38g) 1.7 micrograms
• Fortified soya milk - 1 glass (200ml) 1.6 micrograms
• Boiled chicken’s egg - 1 egg without shell (50g) 1.6 micrograms
• Fortified cornflakes and bran flakes - 1 portion (30g) 1.4 micrograms

Foods providing around 0.5 micrograms of vitamin D per average portion

• Grilled pork chop - 1 chop excluding bone (75g) 0.6 micrograms
• Corned beef - 1 thick slice (50g) 0.6 micrograms
• Grilled bacon rashers 2 middle rashers (80g) 0.5 micrograms
• Fortified low-fat spread, polyunsaturated - 1 tsp (5g) 0.4 micrograms
• Baking fat/margarine 1 teaspoon - (5g) 0.4 micrograms
• Grilled or fried pork sausages** - 1 large sausage (40g) 0.4 micrograms
• Fried lamb's liver*** - 1 portion (40g) 0.4 micrograms

Wild mushrooms can also be high in vitamin D, but this varies.

*Because of sea pollutants, aim to limit oily fish to no more than four portions a week (two portions if you are pregnant, trying to conceive or breast-feeding)

**Aim to limit processed meat such as sausages. Although they contain vitamin D, they are also high in salt and fat.

***Liver is high in a certain type of vitamin A, which can be harmful to bones in excessive amounts. If you're over 50, aim to limit liver products to no more than one portion a week. If you're pregnant, it's recommended that you avoid eating liver, as too much vitamin A can harm your baby.