Health and wellness are frequently front of mind as we go through life. Everyone wants to stay healthy and feel good, and one of the ways that we can do so is through sufficient vitamins and minerals. One of the vitamins that can positively impact our wellbeing is that of vitamin D, which can be found in foods including fish, certain mushrooms and eggs! Let’s dive into the importance of vitamin D and eggs as a source of vitamin D.
What is Vitamin D and Why is it important?
Vitamin D is also commonly known as the “sunshine vitamin” due to its association with sunshine and UV rays. Vitamin D can be found in certain nutritional sources and is produced endogenously, or internally, when UV rays penetrate the skin and trigger the synthesis of vitamin D. Vitamin D can also be referred to as calciferol.
A vitamin D deficiency can have several unfortunate effects. A severe lack of vitamin D causes a condition known as rickets, which causes children to exhibit incorrect growth patterns, muscle weakness, joint deformities and pain. Rickets is a relatively rare condition, but a vitamin D deficiency can still cause issues such as muscle weakness in children. For adults, it can be more difficult to pinpoint vitamin D deficiency as the cause, but it can cause issues such as bone pain, excessive fatigue, mood changes and muscle aches. Vitamin D is a critical vitamin for bone health and helps the human body to absorb calcium. Low levels of vitamin D can contribute to unwanted issues such as obesity, inflammation, skeletal disease and more.
Vitamin D can help fight disease, reducing the risks of developing heart disease, multiple sclerosis and even the flu. For those of us looking to watch our weight, studies have found that calcium and vitamin D can aid weight loss efforts.
How can I develop a Vitamin D deficiency?
Simply put, people can develop a vitamin D deficiency if they do not get enough exposure to sunlight, or consume enough vitamin D, whether through nutritional sources or supplements. Other factors such as the kidneys being unable to convert vitamin D or inadequate absorption of vitamin D via the digestive tract can also play a role.
Vitamin D deficiencies are more commonplace in people who have milk allergies or who consume a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Eggs as a source of Vitamin D
Relatively few foods contain vitamin D naturally. Eggs are one of the few foods that contain a significant amount of vitamin D. The yolks of eggs are where you will find the vitamin D content, and it is, therefore, better for vitamin D intake to eat eggs whole, instead of only the egg whites. Egg primarily contains vitamin D in the form D3.
For adults between 19-50, the recommended dietary allowance for Vitamin D is 15mcg or around 600 IU. There are contrasting studies and findings regarding the exact amounts of vitamin D found in eggs, but one recent study has posited that a serving of two eggs can provide up to 80% of the RDA, a large portion of the recommended dietary vitamin D intake.
Other foods that are high in Vitamin D include fatty fish, fortified milk, fortified orange juice, supplements and beef liver.
Ultimately, eggs are a good source of vitamin D and can help us keep our bodies fit & healthy. For more interesting egg facts and information, take a look at our blog page.