With days growing shorter and weather gloomier, the natural source of vitamin D – sun – is getting harder to get.
Worryingly, the lack of sunshine is putting many Britons at risk of deficiency.
However, vitamin D is crucial for the health of your bones, muscles, teeth and heart.
Although a daily supplement pill of 10 micrograms of vitamin D is a must between October and early March, a surprising food could also meet your daily intake.
Characterised by their earthy taste, mushrooms are an unusual source of the sunshine vitamin as they don’t naturally contain it.
However, one simple tweak could mean the popular food could provide between 50 to 100 percent of the daily required vitamin D, according to a study, published in the journal Nutrients.
Jude Wilson, Chief Mushroom Scientist at the Mushroom Bureau, said: “Mushrooms are one of the few natural food sources of vitamin D, so are a valuable addition to the diet.
“When exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, mushrooms can naturally synthesise vitamin D, just like the human skin.”
Don’t just take the expert’s word for it, as the research also suggests that mushrooms can get the vitamin from tanning sessions.
Many producers around the world now expose mushrooms to UV radiation, which helps the fungi generate the sunshine vitamin.
So just like humans, the brown foods also get their vitamin D from the sun.
However, it’s important to note that not all producers expose their mushrooms to UV radiation.
Fortunately, the labels on supermarket bought mushrooms can help you identify which type offers the fat-soluble vitamin.
Wilson also suggested putting mushrooms in the light, e.g., on a kitchen windowsill, to charge them up with vitamin D.
The expert recommended reaching for Chestnut, Portobello, Closed Cup, Flats, and Button mushrooms.
When it comes to the amount you need to eat, the study concluded that 100 grams should do the trick.
What’s more, you can get a pack of mushrooms for around a pound in some leading grocery stores.
Am I deficient in vitamin D?
Although vitamin D deficiency can be hard to spot in adults, there are some tell-tale signs that might ring the alarm bells, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The health portal shares that the lack of the sunshine vitamin can present as:
- Fatigue
- Bone pain
- Muscle weakness, muscle aches or muscle cramps
- Mood changes and depression.
However, some people might experience no signs or symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency at all. That’s why it’s important to follow the NHS advice and supplement with vitamin D pills during the colder months.