The COVID-19 pandemic is perhaps the most polarizing and perpetual event of the 21st century, particularly as it relates to preventative measures. A January 2021 surgery by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 46% of Americans are either waiting for further results or flat-out refusing to take COVID-19 vaccines. A vast majority of Americans wore masks in public even when they weren’t mandated in 2020, according to a Cleveland Federal Reserve study. But the issue is now more political than it is a public health matter.
No matter your stances, two facts remain true regarding COVID-19. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control found that 78% of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in 2020 were overweight or obese. There are also hundreds of peer-reviewed studies showing that half of the world’s population is vitamin D deficient. A 2007 meta-analysis published in the peer-reviewed journal Imaging in Medicine found that vitamin D supplementation led to significantly lower mortality rates. Numerous recent studies found that increased vitamin D intake reduced COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
Lockdowns and working from home mean that people are spending more time at home than at any other point in the 21st century. Many are passing the time on DIY home improvement projects. Others are making up for lost time with spouses and children. But nearly everyone is spending more time on food preparation and eating at home. Take advantage of the situation by enriching your meals with vitamin D and thus, lowering your chances of COVID-19 infection. Here are five ideas to ponder.
Mushrooms
Pay attention vegans and vegetarians. Mushrooms are the closest thing to vegetables or plants that provide significant vitamin D. But not all mushrooms are created vitamin D equal. Wild mushrooms and others grown while exposed to ultraviolet lights are the types with significant amounts of vitamin D. Most commercially-grown mushrooms are cultivated in dark environments and have no vitamin D.
Make sure to check the label to see how the mushrooms were grown and if they contain vitamin D. You’ll likely need to shop at health food stores and farmer’s markets to find vitamin D rich mushrooms.
Egg yolks
It’s understandable why some people eat only egg whites. One egg white has about four grams of protein and only 17 calories. But the rest of egg whites is essentially water. Egg yolks are where the vitamin D is contained. But like mushrooms, not all egg yolks are created equal.
Eggs from chickens fed vitamin D-enriched feed are obviously have high vitamin D yokes. Free-range chickens that are exposed to sunshine also produce vitamin D-rich egg yolks. Again, check the labels and buy organic eggs or those from chickens that are raised out in the open, not in crowded factories.
Fish
Everyone has heard about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish not only provide this important nutrient, but also vitamin D. The more oily (fatty), the more vitamin D the fish contains. Rainbow trout and sockeye salmon are two of the most vitamin D-rich species. Code liver is also a great source of vitamin DCanned tuna provides some vitamin D, but not nearly as much as the aforementioned species. Plus you’ll need the tuna packed in oil versus water to get any vitamin D at all.
You may have notice another theme in this article – sunshine. When the suns rays hit your skin, it turns cholesterol into vitamin D. So in addition to incorporating these dietary ideas, get outside daily for natural vitamin D supplementation.
