Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle. It is a key vitamin that helps to support strong bones, to help allow our muscles to move, and also to help keep our immune system strong. Vitamin D is produced in our bodies from sunlight. As we age our bodies aren't as easily able to utilize the vitamin as well as in our younger years and also as we age some are more likely to spend more time indoors and away from the sun.
Unfortunately, we don’t find a large amount of Vitamin D in many food sources, however, many foods are supplemented with the vitamin. Some food sources of Vitamin D include egg yolks, fortified cereal, canned fish, liver, mushrooms, sardines, salmon, yogurt and fortified milk.
Vitamin D needs tend to be higher in older adults over 70 years old. These needs though are about the same for both men as well as women. Those aged 1-70 years old require about 600 IU (international units) of Vitamin D and those 71+ need about 800 IU. Some older adults may not be able to get adequate amounts of Vitamin D from either foods or sunlight and may therefore need to use a supplement such as a multivitamin containing Vitamin D.
Here are some ways to help older adults to increase their daily intake of Vitamin D:
When shopping, read the nutrition facts labels and try to purchase foods that are naturally high in the vitamin. Look for foods that say “fortified with Vitamin D”. Try to get outside for a walk to let the natural sunlight boost your body's Vitamin D levels.
Here are a couple recipes that are a good source of Vitamin D:
Strawberry Parfait
Ingredients:
• 1 cup of vanilla yogurt
• ½ cup of sliced strawberries
• 6 Nilla wafers.
Directions:
Place 3 Nilla wafers in the bottom of a bowl. Cover with half the yogurt. Place half the strawberries on top and repeat another layer.
Grilled Asparagus and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
• 1 pound fresh asparagus
• 8 oz mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary (crushed)
• fresh ground pepper and garlic powder (optional).
Directions:
Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place asparagus and mushrooms in a large plastic bag. Drizzle oil over and add rosemary. Seal and bag and shake gently. Arrange asparagus and mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season with pepper and garlic powder. Bake for about 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender.
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