“New research says that vitamin D may play a crucial role in weight loss by controlling appetite and helping fat cells become more metabolically active,” . The sunshine vitamin also helps your body better absorb bone-boosting calcium, improves immunity, reduces inflammation, and may even protect against some forms of cancer. Nearly 75 percent of Americans are vitamin-D deficient, so there’s a good chance you’re not getting your recommended daily dose of 400 IU (some people may need as much as 1000 IU, so check with your doctor to find out what’s right for you).
“The best sources [of vitamin D] are salmon, tuna, and mackerel (especially the flesh),” adding that “fish liver oils, beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks also contain small amounts.”
And don’t forget the most convenient source of all: sunlight. “Vitamin D is actually produced in your body when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike your skin; the UV rays trigger synthesis of vitamin D, which then gets converted in your liver into its active form.”