Vitamin D plays a huge role in
your health. It helps in the
proper absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphate in the body.
More significantly, it helps prevent the weakening of the bones, a condition
called osteomalacia, which can cause bone fractures.
Where to get Your Vitamin D
Your skin can convert a good amount of vitamin
D from the sun, provided you are not wearing a sun block. But if standing under
the sun isn’t really your thing, or you don’t always get the chance to stay
outdoors or, perhaps, you are located in areas where the sun’s exposure is
limited, then you should make sure you are getting enough vitamin D through
your dietary intake.
Some food sources of vitamin D are salmon,
mackerel, sardines, tuna, beef liver, eggs, cow’s milk, cheese and vitamin D
fortified foods. However, for individuals like me, these foods can sometimes
taste simple and plain when cooked the usual way. So, what I do is spice them
up a bit by tweaking some recipes, sometimes cooking them several of them in
one dish – that means more vitamin D in one go!
My Top 3 Recipe Picks
It seems quite easy to just look up recipes
and meals, but sometimes I don’t have the ingredients available. Or maybe I
have watched a cooking show that has an interesting dish I would like to try
but want to spice it up more healthily – what I would do is replace the
ingredients with vitamin D rich foods and still enjoy the meal.
So, here are some meals you can try for a
vitamin D rich dinner (or lunch):
Salmon Croquette
This tasty dish is not only rich in vitamin D;
it is also a good source of magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin B and calcium. Use
canned salmon, milk and lemon juice for the tasty patties, and season with
cayenne, salt and pepper. Baking is my preferred method, but if you don’t have
an oven, deep-frying
or frying will do. You can match this with mashed
potato, but I often eat it with lettuce.
Penne with Tuna
Now this is a really simple dish, but it
tastes awesome just the same. It’s perfect for when you don’t have a lot of
time for preparation, and you can even set some aside for the next day. I use canned tuna and penne,
but you can substitute the pasta with macaroni or fusilli, whichever suits your
style. The olives will also give a kick to the overall flavour. Apart from
being an excellent source of vitamin D, this yummy dish is also low in cholesterol.
Sole Fillet with Vegetables
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You may need to have oven for this to really
achieve the delish taste and, of course, the sole fillet. You can substitute this with cod if you wish.
To make this extra flavourful, I top the dish with grated Parmesan cheese and
eat it with potato, lettuce and tomato. Squeezing some lemon juice also adds a
unique taste.
