More and more people are looking into natural nutrients or vitamins vs synthetic nutrients or vitamins. Functional foods for vitamin D3 are the best way to naturally boost your levels of this essential vitamin. There are so many health benefits associated with the daily intake of vitamin D3 that you can’t ignore. It has a great anti-inflammatory response, boosts the immune system, supports brain function, promotes bone health, and is essential for kid development. But how do you take it from food or what are the latest functional food choices to support your kids’ needs? The short answer is that it is definitely best to receive it from food not tablets. The long answer is that the effective absorption of vitamin D3 is a much more complicated process.
Why You Need the Sun’s Vitamin
Vitamin D is both a food that we consume and a hormone that our bodies produce. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has long been known to aid the body’s absorption and retention of calcium and phosphorus, both of which are essential for bone formation.
In addition, studies reveal that vitamin D can inhibit cancer cell growth, aid in infection prevention, and reduce inflammation. Many organs and tissues in the body have vitamin D receptors, implying crucial implications beyond bone health, and scientists are actively studying other such activities.
Few foods contain vitamin D naturally, while some are fortified with the vitamin. Ours is possibly the first 100% natural functional food for vitamin D3, that is also plant-based. Still, most of us think that it is difficult to consume enough vitamin D through diet, and as a result, most people prefer to take supplement pills, capsules, or tablets. There are two types of vitamin D forms: vitamin D2 (“ergocalciferol” or pre-vitamin D) and vitamin D3 (“cholecalciferol”). Both are naturally occurring forms that are created in the presence of ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays from the sun, hence the term “the sunshine vitamin”.
Vitamin D3 differs from other vitamins in that it is spontaneously created by the body’s cholesterol cells when your skin is exposed to sunshine. But most people don’t get enough sunshine or eat enough vitamin D-rich functional foods to get an adequate supply. More than 4 in 10 Americans get insufficient levels of vitamin D3 . In a recent study, Colin Smith, a Professor of Functional Genomics at Brighton, said in a press release: “We have shown that vitamin D3 appears to stimulate the type I interferon signaling system in the body — a key part of the immune system that provides a first line of defense against bacteria and viruses. Thus, a healthy vitamin D3 status may help prevent viruses and bacteria from gaining a foothold in the body.” This is crucial since previous studies suggested that both forms of vitamin D were equally beneficial. However, this new study implies that foods fortified with vitamin D should favor D3 over D2.
Top 5 Vegan Foods for Vitamin D3
1. Vegan High Phenolic Olive + Algae Vitamin D3 Oil
It is a product to truly benefit you or your kid’s health. Our High Phenolic Olive + Algae Vegan Vitamin D3 Oil contains the best of the olive and algae that can supply you 600 IU of the purest form of vitamin D3 from algae, together with, a complete bioactive compound-complex from the olive tree. We consider this to be among our best and most advanced natural functional foods for vitamin D3.
2. Organic Egg Yolk
One egg contains about the same amount of vitamin D as two sardines, at 44 IU and 6% of the DV.
3. Pomegranate Concentrate with Curcumin + Vitamin D3
When it comes to anti-inflammatory foods the antioxidants contained play the most important role. Our pomegranate concentrate has record high polyphenol levels, which practically means that it will provide you with complete natural support against free radicals. In addition, this is combined with the most bioavailable form of curcumin extract on the planet in order to further intensify the anti-inflammatory strength of this unique product. The micellized D3 that is included increases further the anti-inflammatory response and makes this product a game-changing food for vitamin D3 and inflammation. We encourage you to read more on the product page.
3. Fortified Cereals & Plant Dairy
Cereals and plant dairy products are possibly among the first functional food products on the market. Keep a note, however, that the added vitamin D3 is not of natural source. Nonetheless, it is a food for vitamin d3 deficiencies. Don’t forget to choose 100% whole wheat, whose health benefits are countless.
5. Juices fortified with vitamin D
Functional juices are becoming a hot spot among health-conscious consumers. Choosing a fortified juice is always a good choice but you need to remember that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, whose absorption is best when received in an oil form and on empty stomach.
MILESTONE® Tip: Boil an organic egg or two for 5 minutes. Peel it and place it in that small bawl that your kid loves to have its breakfast. Add 10ml of High Phenolic Olive + Algae Vegan Vitamin D3 Oil and half a slice of sourdough 100% whole wheat bread. It is very high in fiber and nutrients . Sourdough bread is created by a fermentation process that relies on naturally existing yeast and bacteria to rise, which makes sourdough bread an excellent prebiotic food for gut and microbiome . Combines this with a sufficient vitamin D3 intake and you’ll have the best combination of functional foods for vitamin D3 supplementation.
Vitamin D and Health
The significance of vitamin D in disease prevention is a prominent field of study, although definitive answers about the benefit of taking quantities beyond the RDA limits are lacking. Although observational studies show a clear link between lower rates of certain diseases in populations that live in sunny regions or have greater vitamin D levels, clinical trials that give individuals vitamin D supplements to treat a specific condition are still equivocal. This could be due to varied study designs, changes in vitamin D absorption rates amongst populations, and varying amounts given to participants in the corresponding clinical trials.
Vitamin D, Calcium and Bone Health
Vitamin D is required for calcium absorption, which is essential for bone strength and skeletal integrity . Getting enough vitamin D and calcium is essential for bone health and preventing illnesses like osteoporosis, which is characterized by weak, brittle bones . Our pomegranate concentrate is among our most innovative functional foods for vitamin D3, calcium, and potassium daily intakes, in addition to the strongest turmeric extract in the world; which works as a perfect functional food for inflammation.
Children and adults aged 1–70 require 600 IU of vitamin D per day, which can be obtained by a mix of diet and sunlight. Adults over the age of 70 should strive for at least 800 IU (20 mcg) of vitamin D every day . The daily value (DV), a rating system used on packaged food labels, is 800 IU per day. Calcium requirements differ according on age. Children aged 1–8 require roughly 2,500 mg of calcium per day, whereas those aged 9–18 require approximately 3,000 mg per day. Adults aged 19–50 require approximately 2,500 mg per day, which lowers to 2,000 mg per day for those over 50 . Several more studies have linked low vitamin D blood levels to an increased risk of fractures in older persons, and they suggest that vitamin D may help prevent such fractures if taken in sufficient quantities .
Vitamin D and Cancer
Researchers discovered an unusual association between colon cancer mortality and geographic location about 30 years ago. Those who lived at higher latitudes, such as in the northern United States, had greater rates of death from colon cancer than people who lived closer to the equator. Many scientific assumptions concerning vitamin D and disease are based on studies that analyzed sun radiation and disease rates in various nations. These studies can serve as a useful beginning point for further research, although they do not provide the most conclusive results. The sun’s UVB rays are weaker at higher latitudes, and as a result, people’s vitamin D blood levels are lower in these areas. This led to the suggestion that low vitamin D levels would increase the risk of colon cancer.
Although vitamin D does not appear to be a key component in cancer incidence, evidence from randomized trials indicates that having a greater vitamin D status may enhance survival once cancer is diagnosed. In the VITAL experiment, those allocated to take vitamin D had a decreased cancer death rate, and this effect tended to increase over time after starting on vitamin D. A meta-analysis of vitamin D randomized trials, including the VITAL study, showed a 13% statistically significant decreased risk of cancer mortality in those given vitamin D versus placebo . These findings are consistent with observational evidence suggesting that vitamin D may have a greater effect on cancer progression than on cancer incidence.
Vitamin D and Immune
There are plenty of studies suggesting that vitamin D is strongly linked to a strong and healthy immune system. A randomized controlled experiment in Japanese schoolchildren looked into whether taking vitamin D supplements on a daily basis could help avoid seasonal flu . During the peak of the winter flu season, the trial tracked nearly 340 youngsters for four months. Half of the participants in the trial were given vitamin D pills containing 1,200 IU, while the other half were given placebo pills. The vitamin D group had around 40% lower type A influenza rates than the placebo group; there was no significant change in type B influenza rates. Different studies also link type 2 diabetes with insufficient levels of vitamin D3 . Autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis has also been under the microscope of researchers, albeit the results are not conclusive yet and more research is needed in order to provide sufficient evidence for a clear connection of this essential vitamin.
Vitamin D and Diabetes Type 2
Vitamin D deficiency may have a detrimental impact on the metabolic pathways that lead to the development of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), such as impaired pancreatic beta cell function, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Higher vitamin D blood levels have been linked to decreased risks of T2DM in prospective observational studies .
The Nurses’ Health Study tracked over 83,000 women without diabetes at the start to see if they developed T2DM. Throughout the 20-year trial, vitamin D and calcium intakes from diet and supplements were monitored . When the authors compared women with the greatest intakes of vitamin D from supplements to women with the lowest intakes, they discovered a 13% decreased risk of getting T2DM. When comparing the highest intakes of calcium and vitamin D from supplements (>1,200 mg, >800 IU daily) with the lowest intakes (600 mg, 400 IU), the effect was even stronger: there was a 33% lower risk of T2DM in women when comparing the highest intakes (>1,200 mg, >800 IU daily) with the lowest intakes (600 mg, 400 IU).
In another important clinical study in 2019, vitamin D treatment reduced the incidence of diabetes among those who had the lowest blood levels of vitamin D at the start of the research. This is consistent with the fundamental concept that taking extra vitamin D may not benefit people with appropriate vitamin D blood levels, but may benefit those with initially low blood levels .
Summary
There are so many health benefits associated with the daily intake of vitamin D3 that you can’t ignore. At MILESTONE® we research and develop the most innovative functional foods for vitamin D3 deficiencies. Vitamin D3 has a great anti-inflammatory response, boosts the immune system, supports brain function, promotes bone health, and is essential for kid development. So, if you are ready to dive into the world of functional foods, feel free to navigate to our corresponding health category and discover the benefits of our functional foods for vitamin D3 deficiencies.
A Word From MILESTONE®
MILESTONE® Food for your Genes uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
