Foods high in vitamin D
USDA FoodData Central data, retrieved October 2026
Few foods contain much vitamin D, which makes this list short. The National Academies reference is 15 µg (600 IU) a day for adults up to 70, and 800 IU from the age of 71. Food is only one source: sunlight on the skin also contributes, and how much depends on season, latitude and habits.
11 foods from USDA FoodData Central reach at least 3 µg of vitamin D per 100 g. The front runners are Baked trout (19 µg), Canned pink salmon (14.5 µg) and Baked salmon (13.1 µg). Fatty fish, egg yolk and fortified products are typical members. Some foods in our dataset have no USDA value for vitamin D; they do not appear in the ranking, because unknown is not the same as zero.
These are general estimates generated from published formulas, not a medical prescription. Not reviewed by a doctor or registered dietitian.
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Every number on this page (calorie targets, macro splits and any suggested meal plan) is produced by formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor for basal metabolic rate, standard activity multipliers) or, for AI-generated meal plans, by a language model applying those same formulas. On meal-plan pages the carbohydrate figure for each meal is calculated by difference: total calories minus protein and fat calories, divided by 4. It is not measured or estimated on its own, so read it as an arithmetic balance and not as an independent nutritional analysis of the dish. None of it is individualized medical or nutritional advice, and none of it has been reviewed by a registered dietitian, physician or other licensed healthcare professional.
Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian what is right for you before starting a new diet, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a diagnosed medical condition, take prescription medication, or have a history of disordered eating. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask your clinician before raising protein.
Mealyno never recommends a calorie target below your calculated Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the minimum energy your body needs at complete rest. Even the most aggressive weight-loss setting is clamped at that floor.
Calorie and BMR estimates use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990).
Generated: October 2026
Top of the list
At the top: Baked trout (19 µg), Canned pink salmon (14.5 µg), Baked salmon (13.1 µg), Baked pink salmon (13 µg), Baked sturgeon (12.9 µg) per 100 g. 11 of the 178 foods in our table meet the rule. Check the "State" column: dry grains and legumes are not equal by weight to cooked ones.
| # | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baked trout | cooked | 19 µg | 127% | 22.8 µg in 120 g | 168 kcal | 23.8 g | 30 mg |
| 2 | Canned pink salmon | as eaten | 14.5 µg | 97% | 12.3 µg in 85 g | 138 kcal | 23.1 g | 283 mg |
| 3 | Baked salmon | cooked | 13.1 µg | 87% | 15.7 µg in 120 g | 206 kcal | 22.1 g | 15 mg |
| 4 | Baked pink salmon | cooked | 13 µg | 87% | 15.6 µg in 120 g | 153 kcal | 24.6 g | 8 mg |
| 5 | Baked sturgeon | cooked | 12.9 µg | 86% | 15.5 µg in 120 g | 135 kcal | 20.7 g | 17 mg |
| 6 | Raw salmon | raw | 11 µg | 73% | 16.5 µg in 150 g | 208 kcal | 20.4 g | 9 mg |
| 7 | Baked halibut | cooked | 5.8 µg | 39% | 6.96 µg in 120 g | 111 kcal | 22.5 g | 9 mg |
| 8 | Egg yolk | raw | 5.4 µg | 36% | 0.92 µg in 17 g | 322 kcal | 15.9 g | 129 mg |
| 9 | Canned sardines in oil | as eaten | 4.8 µg | 32% | 4.32 µg in 90 g | 208 kcal | 24.6 g | 382 mg |
| 10 | Raw herring | raw | 4.2 µg | 28% | 4.2 µg in 100 g | 158 kcal | 18 g | 57 mg |
| 11 | Pork backfat (salo) | raw | 3.1 µg | 21% | 0.62 µg in 20 g | 812 kcal | 2.92 g | 2 mg |
Values are per 100 g unless stated. Portion is a typical size. Column headers can be clicked to change the sort order.
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Calories from a photoHow to use this list
Fish is the most practical place to start, and the portion column helps: a serving of oily fish such as herring, mackerel or salmon can reach a large share of the reference. Eggs add a smaller amount, mostly in the yolk. Check labels of milk, margarine, cereals and plant drinks, because fortification differs by country and brand.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so it is usually eaten with some fat anyway, as in fish or eggs. Winter in Ukraine has few hours of sun, which is a reason many people pay attention to dietary sources. Before taking any vitamin D supplement, ask a doctor or dietitian, because the right amount depends on the person and too much is not harmless.
Method: where the data comes from
The list is built from our table of 178 foods based on USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (public domain, CC0). We retrieved the data on October 4, 2026. Values are per 100 g of the food in the state shown in the "State" column: a raw, cooked or dry food carries different amounts of water, so per-100 g figures are not comparable across states. If USDA reports no value for a nutrient, the food is left out of this list: "no data" is not zero.
A food makes the list with at least 3 µg (vitamin D) per 100 g, which is 20% of the daily reference for the reference adult, 15 µg. We call 1.5 µg (10%) and up a good source.
The reference adult is the average of the adult male and female values in the US and Canada Dietary Reference Intakes (age 19-30), on a 2,000 kcal day. The "Portion" column shows the value in a typical portion of the food. This is general information for healthy adults, not medical advice; Mealyno does not replace a doctor or a dietitian.
Frequently asked questions
How much vitamin D do adults need?
The National Academies reference is 15 µg (600 IU) a day for adults up to age 70, and 800 IU for those 71 and older. These values assume limited sun exposure. A doctor or dietitian can advise on personal needs and on testing.
Why is the list so short?
Vitamin D is naturally present in very few foods, mostly fatty fish, egg yolk and some mushrooms exposed to light. The rest of the supply comes from fortified products and from sunlight. A short list here reflects the food supply and not a gap in our data.
Why do some foods show no vitamin D value?
USDA did not measure vitamin D in every food, and our dataset leaves the cell empty where there is no value. We never turn an unknown into zero, so such foods are left out of the ranking and are marked as unknown elsewhere on the site.
Can I get enough vitamin D from food alone?
That depends on what you eat, the season and your time outdoors. Regular fatty fish and fortified foods help a great deal. Whether a supplement makes sense is a question for a doctor or dietitian, who can look at your diet and circumstances.
Cite this data
You are welcome to cite this table and link to it. The USDA data is public domain (CC0); our selection, calculations and ordering are Mealyno's. Copy the link or the citation below.