According to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, higher levels of Vitamin D among women may reduce their risk of developing breast cancer post menopause. The study analysed that women with blood levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (OH) -- the main form of vitamin D in blood -- above 60 ng/ml (nanograms per millilitre) had one-fifth the risk of breast cancer compared to those with less than 20 ng/ml. Therefore, researchers from the University of California-San Diego determined that the minimum healthy level of 25(OH) in blood plasma should be 60 ng/ml, instead of the earlier recommended higher than the 20 ng/ml. The lead author Sharon McDonnell from GrassrootsHealth, a non-profit public health research organisation sais, "Increasing Vitamin D blood levels substantially above 20 ng/ml appears to be important for the prevention of breast cancer." The study analysed data from two randomised clinical trials with 3,325 combined women and a prospective study involving 1,713 women with average age of 63.
Top 5 Foods That Are Rich In Vitamin D
1. MushroomsAdd mushrooms to your diet at least four times a week and watch your vitamin D levels shoot up. They can be cooked, baked or pan fried and turned into a tasty and healthy delight. In order to reap more benefits you can sun dry them before consumption. Mushrooms can naturally produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
2. CheeseCheese is one of the top 5 foods high on vitamin D. Well, spreading an additional layer of cheese on that morning slice of toast may not be such a bad idea after all. Ricotta cheese provides the maximum amount of vitamin D amongst others.
3. FishAll kinds of fish are packed with vitamin D. Typically oily or fatty fish contain more vitamin D than less oily fish. An example of oily fish would be a juicy thick fillet of salmon. Other common options are trout, mackerel, tuna or eel.
4. EggEgg yolk is back in vogue and this time it's here to stay. Since the vitamin D in an egg comes from its yolk, it's important to use the whole egg--not just the whites. So bid farewell to the egg white craze and indulge in the most nutritious part of the egg.
5. Soy MilkSoy milk is a plant-based milk produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water. While it contains the same amount of protein as regular cow's milk it boasts of high vitamin D, C and iron.