Around 20% of Australian adults (~3.3 million people) have a mild or moderate vitamin D deficiency. A further 43% is classified as having insufficient circulating vitamin D concentrations. In the cooler months, these deficiency levels can almost double.
Studies have clearly shown that adequate intake of vitamin D is essential for bone development, skeletal health,healthy muscles and teeth and regulating the immune system.
With a serve of two eggs providing 82% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin D, eggs contain one of the highest quantities of vitamin D of any food.
Here, Australian Eggs has delved into what exactly vitamin D is, how it benefits our bodies, and where you can find this important nutrient in your daily diet.
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D, sometimes called the ‘sunshine vitamin’ is a fat-soluble vitaminobtained from food and made by the body when sunlight hits the skin. It can also be found in supplements.
Benefits of Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in helping us maintain healthy bones and teeth, in muscle function and in regulating our immune system.
Vitamin D is essential for a range of reasons, including:
Bone development in children and skeletal health in adults
Calcium andphosphorus absorption and metabolism
Regulating the immune system
Vitamin D Deficiency
What happens if you don't have enough vitamin D?
If your body doesn’t get enough vitamin D, you’re at risk of developing weak bones. Unfortunately a fifth (20%) of all Australian adults live with mild or moderate vitamin D deficiency.
Severe vitamin D deficiencies could have major health ramifications –which makes it important to make sure you're getting enough each day.
Some people are at greater risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency, including those who:
Elderly and housebound or in residential care
Work or stay mostly indoors
Have naturally dark skin
Have a condition that restricts vitamin D absorption from the diet
Are overweight or obese
Fortunately, doctors can diagnose a Vitamin D deficiency by performing a simple blood test.
How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?
Recommendations for vitamin D intake vary by age and gender and life stage.
For adults, the Adequate Intake (AI) is 5.0 µg/day for men and women aged 19-50. AI is the bare minimum suggested for nutritional adequacy across a population.
The adequate intake recommendations set out by the National Health and Medical Research Council are as follows:
- Infants: 5.0 µg/day
- Children & Adults: 5.0 µg/day
- Adults 50+: 10.0 - 15.0µg/day
Do Eggs Have Vitamin D?
A serving of two eggs contains 8.2µg of vitamin D which is 82% of the recommended dietary intake. Eggs are one of the highest food sources of vitamin D.
A Note on Micrograms
µg is the symbol for the metric measurement microgram.µg is used to measure the amount of vitamin D a recipe contains, along with the percentage of Daily Recommended Intake (RDI) that can be achieved per serve.
0.1µg = 1% RDI vitamin D
How Many Eggs Should I Eat?
If you suffer from a vitamin D deficiency or wish to maintain good vitamin D levels, consumption of 7 eggs per week is in line with the current Australian dietary guidelines.
Maintaining routine egg intake will help to combat wintertime decrease in vitamin D deficiency as less natural D from sunlight is available.
Although 7 eggs weekly are ideal, eating more than this does not necessarily have an adverse effect. A recent study showed no major changes in body weight or blood lipid concentration in young adults who ate 12 eggs a week versus 7 eggs.
Plus, there are 12 other equally beneficial nutrients that your body can make use of through egg consumption.
What About Vitamin D Supplements?
A well-balanced diet and sufficient sunlight exposure are generally enough for most people to meet their daily vitamin D requirements.
However, for those with vitamin D deficiencies, dietary supplements are often recommended. Your healthcare professional will advise if this is the case.
For those without deficiencies or special needs, a well-balanced diet can deliver all the daily vitamins and nutrients required for good health.
According to Dietitian Sharon Natoli, where possible, it is best to eat a well-balanced diet, with plenty of vegetables, sufficient amounts of fruit, whole grains, dairy foods or alternatives, healthy fats and protein-rich foods, like eggs, to meet daily nutritional needs.
