It is necessary to get enough vitamin D from the diet because it helps human bodies absorb and use calcium and phosphorous to build strong bones and teeth. In this case, vitamin D can help protect older adults against osteoporosis and reducing the risk of falls in the elderly.
Vitamin D is important to the body in many other ways as well. Vitamin D is responsible for brain development. Muscles need it to move, for example, nerves need it to carry messages between the brain and every body part, and the immune system needs vitamin D to fight off invading bacteria and viruses.
Many other studies suggest that vitamin D may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and infectious disease e.g. respiratory tract infection.
The two main dietary category of vitamin D are D2, found in fungi and yeast, and D3, found in animals; lesser amounts of vitamin D3 and D4 are also found in fungi.
Certain foods in the Western diet are a good source of vitamin D, with the best example of naturally occurring dietary source being oily fish. Even though, vegetable foods generally contain low vitamin D, mushrooms provide some vitamin D.
Mushrooms are a natural source of vitamin D2 with lesser amounts of vitamins D3 and D4. The vitamin D2 content of mushrooms can be increased dramatically by exposed to a source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, such as sunlight or a UV lamp, whereby ergocalciferol is formed from ergosterol.
Worldwide mushroom consumption has improved markedly in the past four decades, and mushrooms have the potential to be the only non-animal, unfortified food source of vitamin D that can deliver a substantial quantity of vitamin D2 in a single serve.
Mushroom Is A Natural Source Of Vitamin D
