If you eat a vegan diet, getting enough vitamin D each day can be challenging.Many of the foods highest in vitamin D, such as salmon, egg yolks,and shellfish, aren’t vegan-friendly.

Vitamin D’s primary role is to help your body absorb calcium and phosphorous from food. Both these minerals are essential for maintaining healthy bones. People who don’t get adequate amounts of vitamin D are at a heightened risk of developing weak and brittle bones.So here are the best sources of vitamin D for vegans:

▪️Fortified Soy Milk: One cup of soy milk fortified with vitamin D contains about 2.9 mcg (116 IU) of vitamin D.It’s important to check the label before buying a brand of soy milk to see if vitamin D is included. Brands that aren’t fortified contain very little vitamin D.

▪️Mushrooms: Mushrooms are one of the only plant sources that contain a significant amount of vitamin D.Mushrooms grown in the dark may not contain a significant amount of vitamin D.However, mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light when growing may contain about 450 IU per 100 gram serving.

▪️Fortified Cereals: Many breakfast cereals and brands of oatmeal are fortified with vitamin D.Cereals fortified with vitamin D will usually list the vitamin in the nutritional information.The amount of vitamin D found in fortified cereals can vary between brands. Most typically contain between 0.2 to 2.5 mcg (8 to 100 IU) per serving.

▪️Fortified Orange Juice: Not all orange juices are fortified with vitamin D. However, brands that are fortified may contain up to 2.5 mcg (100 IU) per serving.Juices that are fortified with vitamin D will typically mention this on the packaging.

▪️Fortified Almond Milk: Fortified almond milk contains about 2.4 mcg (96 IU) of vitamin D per serving. Many brands of almond milk are also fortified with calcium.

▪️Sunshine: Although sunshine isn’t a food, it’s a great source of vitamin D for vegans.Stepping out into the sun for about 10 to 30 minutes three times a week is enough for most people. However, people with darker skin may need more sun exposure than people with light skin to reap the same benefits.