Cheat Sheet - Vitamin D
Paleo leap Cheat Sheet
vitamin D what is it? “Vitamin” D (technically a hormone) is a crucial nutrient for immunity, bone health, mood, and many other processes. Deficiency in children causes rickets (deformed or twisted bones); in adults, it can lead to brain fog, osteoporosis, and increased risk of chronic diseases like cancer.
how much do i need? 0- 600 IU
600 - 5,000 IU
5,000+ IU
At least
600 IU
per day on average.
What’s IU? IU stands for International Units; it’s just another way to measure how much of a vitamin you’re getting.
It’s OK to get a little more some days and a little less other days. It’s also OK to get a lot more than the minimum. Especially if you’re making up for a previous period of deficiency.
There’s not much evidence for toxicity even up to 10,000 IU.
what is it?
Where can I get it?
Nutrition data comes from the US Government’s official nutrient database unless otherwise noted
Sunshine The absolute best source for Vitamin D is sun exposure; this allows your own body to manufacture however much it needs, with no risk of an overdose. In direct summer sunlight, 5-10 minutes per day without sunscreen should be enough. You might be deficient in Vitamin D if you work inside or rarely expose your skin to the sun.
Oysters 538 IU
per 6-oz serving
6 ounces of cooked meat is about the size of two decks of cards. An adult should eat at least this much at a meal.
Wild salmon
1702 IU
per 6-oz serving
Farmed salmon 412 Iu
per 6-oz serving1
Canned sardines 250 Iu
per can
Egg yolks
41 IU
per egg
Beef liver
84 IU
per cooked 6-oz serving
How can I cook it? Lomi Lomi salmon or grilled salmon-tomato skewers 1134 IU per serving if you use wild-caught fish; 274 IU per serving if you use farmed fish.
Oysters Kilpatrick 538 IU per recipe; 45 IU per oyster.
Shrimp-stuffed eggplant 129 IU per serving.
1 Source for the difference between wild and farmed salmon here.
Copyright © 2013-2014 by Paleo Leap, LLC. All material in this cheat sheet is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.
vitamin D what is it? “Vitamin” D (technically a hormone) is a crucial nutrient for immunity, bone health, mood, and many other processes. Deficiency in children causes rickets (deformed or twisted bones); in adults, it can lead to brain fog, osteoporosis, and increased risk of chronic diseases like cancer.
how much do i need? 0- 600 IU
600 - 5,000 IU
5,000+ IU
At least
600 IU
per day on average.
What’s IU? IU stands for International Units; it’s just another way to measure how much of a vitamin you’re getting.
It’s OK to get a little more some days and a little less other days. It’s also OK to get a lot more than the minimum. Especially if you’re making up for a previous period of deficiency.
There’s not much evidence for toxicity even up to 10,000 IU.
what is it?
Where can I get it?
Nutrition data comes from the US Government’s official nutrient database unless otherwise noted
Sunshine The absolute best source for Vitamin D is sun exposure; this allows your own body to manufacture however much it needs, with no risk of an overdose. In direct summer sunlight, 5-10 minutes per day without sunscreen should be enough. You might be deficient in Vitamin D if you work inside or rarely expose your skin to the sun.
Oysters 538 IU
per 6-oz serving
6 ounces of cooked meat is about the size of two decks of cards. An adult should eat at least this much at a meal.
Wild salmon
1702 IU
per 6-oz serving
Farmed salmon 412 Iu
per 6-oz serving1
Canned sardines 250 Iu
per can
Egg yolks
41 IU
per egg
Beef liver
84 IU
per cooked 6-oz serving
How can I cook it? Lomi Lomi salmon or grilled salmon-tomato skewers 1134 IU per serving if you use wild-caught fish; 274 IU per serving if you use farmed fish.
Oysters Kilpatrick 538 IU per recipe; 45 IU per oyster.
Shrimp-stuffed eggplant 129 IU per serving.
1 Source for the difference between wild and farmed salmon here.
Copyright © 2013-2014 by Paleo Leap, LLC. All material in this cheat sheet is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.
