Sip Your Way to More Vitamin D: 4 Top Beverages

 4 Beverages That Can Assist You in Boosting Your Daily Vitamin D Intake

Vitamin D is essential for immune function, preventing osteoporosis, supporting heart health, and much more. While certain foods like salmon and trout are rich in it, some drinks offer it too. Here are four options.

1. Enriched Milk

Since the 1930s, vitamin D has been supplemented into cow's milk. “Although it is optional in the U.S., the majority of cow's milk is enriched with vitamin D to ensure Americans receive adequate amounts,

As per the U.S. Dairy Council, vitamin D-fortified milk must contain at least 100 International Units (IU) and can have up to 150 IU of vitamin D per 8-ounce serving.2 For instance, one cup of 1% fortified milk offers 104 IU (17% of the Daily Value).3

Naturally, vitamin D isn’t the sole beneficial nutrient you’ll gain from fortified milk—each glass also provides calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and protein.

If you’re not inclined to drink much milk, mixing it into other beverages, such as coffee." She suggests opting for a portion of cow's milk rather than incorporating a creamer that contains corn syrup, vegetable oil, or coconut oil."  “The traditional recipe for various coffee beverages, like a latte or cappuccino, involves a significant amount of milk to create the drink.”

2. Enriched Plant-Based Milk

Dairy isn’t the only category with vitamin D fortification. Numerous plant-based milks, including soy, almond, cashew, rice, and pea, have added vitamin D. However, like dairy milk, fortification isn’t compulsory, so make sure to scrutinize labels to see how much you're receiving.  “Non-dairy milks usually replicate the vitamin D content found in enriched cow's milk, but there are differences among various products.”

For example, Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almond milk contains 25% of the Daily Value of vitamin D per 8-ounce serving.4 Meanwhile, Elmhurst’s Unsweetened Almond Milk lacks any vitamin D.5

3. Enriched Orange Juice

Orange juice began receiving vitamin D fortification in the 1990s. Nowadays, fortified OJ can yield approximately 100 IU of vitamin D (17% DV) for each cup.

“[It] generally also provides calcium, which is beneficial for bone health,” Depending on the selection, you could obtain over 60% of the Daily Value of calcium along with other beneficial nutrients like vitamins A and E.6

4. Mushroom Broth

 Fungi represent the sole type of plant-driven food that inherently possesses vitamin D. When simmered into a drinkable broth, they can deliver a surprising amount of the vitamin. But similar to other fortified drinks, not all mushroom broth has vitamin D.

Whether it contains vitamin D or not relies on whether the mushrooms underwent UV light treatment to amplify vitamin D and how they were processed into broth, A study in 2025 revealed that longer boiling durations might decrease the availability of vitamin D.7

If you’re crafting mushroom broth at home, check whether your mushrooms have been exposed to UV light. Additionally, keep simmering time short to retain as much vitamin D as possible.

Daily Vitamin D Recommendations

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D for adults is 600 IU per day, with a safe upper limit of 4,000 IU for most adults.1 Thankfully, there’s minimal risk of exceeding vitamin D intake from food alone.

 Obtaining an overabundance of vitamin D through diet is rather difficult; inadequate levels of vitamin D are much more common worldwide than excessively high levels. (Nonetheless, it is feasible to take in dangerous amounts through supplements.)

Beverages are an excellent starting point for increasing your intake, but food is vital too. To meet daily targets, Painter advises including plenty of fatty fish, “the leading source by far” of vitamin D in your diet. Rainbow trout, salmon, tuna, and sardines are all abundant sources. Egg yolks and specific types of mushrooms also contain vitamin D, and many foods—like yogurt, cheese, and cereals—are fortified with it.8

 Finally, no matter where you acquire your vitamin D, remember an essential piece of advice: "Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, pairing foods high in vitamin D with nutritious fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts, or seeds can enhance its absorption."