Unlike vitamin C or vitamin K, vitamin D is very rare in plants. Therefore, many people wonder if there are any vegetables that can supplement vitamin D.
In fact, most green vegetables such as spinach, kale, amaranth, broccoli or water spinach almost do not contain significant vitamin D.
Natural vitamin D sources mainly come from synthetic skin under the influence of sunlight and from some animal-based foods such as salmon, herring, mackerel, egg yolks or animal liver.
However, in the group of plant-based foods, mushrooms are a notable exception. Although not considered vegetables in the botanical sense, mushrooms are often used as a vegetable in daily meals. When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight or artificial UV sources, mushrooms can produce vitamin D2.
Some types such as wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms that are sun-dried before use can provide significantly more vitamin D than regular vegetables.
In addition to providing vitamin D2, mushrooms also contain antioxidants, fiber and many beneficial minerals for health. For vegetarians or people who limit animal foods, mushrooms are one of the few choices to help supplement vitamin D from food.
However, relying solely on mushrooms or green vegetables is often difficult to meet daily vitamin D needs. Nutrition experts believe that combining many different sources is necessary.
In addition to a balanced diet, reasonable exposure to sunlight in the morning or late afternoon can help the body synthesize vitamin D effectively. Some vitamin D-fortified foods such as milk, breakfast cereals or micronutrient-supplemented herbal drinks are also useful choices.
Most green vegetables are not a significant source of vitamin D. In the group of foods commonly classified with vegetables, sun-dried mushrooms are a prominent choice thanks to their ability to create vitamin D2 when exposed to UV rays.
To maintain optimal vitamin D levels, each person should combine a diverse diet, reasonable sun exposure and consult health experts when vitamin D supplementation is needed with functional foods.
