Vitamin D is probably the only nutrient that can be produced by your body when it is exposed to sunlight. About 40% of the residents face vitamin D deficiency and around 50% of the world’s population do not expose themselves to enough sunlight. This is mostly because of spending more time indoors, using sunscreens when outside, foods that do not contain enough essential vitamins, or not following dietary tips for vitamin deficiency to combat this problem.

Reference Daily Intake (RDI) sheds light on the vitamin D intake that is 600 IU per day with normal exposure to sunlight. If you are not getting exposed to enough sunlight, then here is a list of dietary tips for vitamin deficiency and foods that are good sources of vitamin D:
1. Fish
One serving (3.5-ounce/100-gram) of salmon is said to contain about 361 to 685 IU of vitamin D as per the USDA Food Composition Database. The RDI suggests that wild salmon contains 988 IU of vitamin D per or 165% of the required daily intake. However, irrespective of where the salmon was caught, it makes a big difference to your vitamin D intake. Herring is another fish that can be eaten raw, smoked, canned, or pickled that contains between 680 IU to 1,628 IU per serving depending on how you choose to eat it. Sardines are a good source too with one serving size providing about 272 IU (45%) of the RDI. Halibut and mackerel contain 600 and 360 IU respectively per serving. Canned tuna, oysters, and shrimps too are other rich vitamin D sources.
2. Cod liver oil
This is a good supplement for getting some of the required nutrients for those who don’t like to eat fish. It contains about 450 IU or about 75% of the RDI per teaspoon (4.9 ml). This is most popularly used for the prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in children for several years
3. Egg yolks
For those who don’t know, the egg white is high in proteins, but the yolk is where the rest of vitamins and minerals are found. Depending on whether the chicken is raised indoors or in the pasture, a typical egg yolk contains 18-100 IU of vitamin D. Additionally, if the chicken has been raised with vitamin D-enriched feed, then one yolk can contain up to 6,000 IU.
4. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are the only plant source that contain vitamin D. Mushrooms synthesize vitamin D2 with exposure to UV light. Vitamin D2 helps in raising levels of vitamin D in the blood. Depending on whether the mushrooms were grown in the wild or in farms and its exposure to UV light, it can pack between 130 to 2,300 IU per serving (3.5-ounce/100-gram).
5. Fortified foods
It’s difficult to find natural sources of vitamin D if you are a vegetarian or cannot eat fish. Hence, some foods are fortified with this vitamin D to supplement the nutrient. Cow’s milk is fortified with vitamin D in most countries. One cup(237ml) of cow’s milk contains about 130 IU (22% of the RDI). Soymilk is a plant-based substitute for vegans which is often fortified with vitamin D and other essential nutrients that are otherwise found in cow’s milk. Fortified orange juice is another great option for people who are either lactose intolerant or suffer from milk allergy. Fortified cereal and oatmeal provide around 55 to 154 IU (26% of RDI) which is also a great option for vegans.

It is advisable to follow these dietary tips for vitamin deficiency and consume foods that are rich in vitamin D to help combat any complications that may arise due to the deficit of the nutrient in your body.