Vitamin D in Eggs

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 vitamin obtained 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 and phosphorus 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 - 15.0 µg/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.