Yes, it's summer again! ☀️
Do you also feel those first rays of sunshine on your face? It is mid-May 2025, and we have just had a wonderfully sunny weekend. Hopefully many more will follow. Sunlight is not only good for your mood, but also for your health.
In this blog you will read:
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The Benefits of Sunlight & Vitamin D
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The best sources of vitamin D
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When and how to supplement
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A fact you probably didn't know
Sunlight: more than just cozy
Sunlight gives us energy – literally and figuratively. Your body produces vitamin D under the influence of UV-B radiation. This process occurs via your skin, and a little via your eyes. But did you know that this only works if you do not wear sunscreen, sunglasses or covering clothing ?
What exactly does vitamin D do?
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It is fat soluble , so it is best absorbed with fats (such as oil).
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Your body produces its own vitamin D3 (the active form).
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It helps with the absorption of calcium and thus supports your bones and teeth .
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It contributes to good resistance and a balanced mood.
⚠️ What if you have a deficiency?
A severe vitamin D deficiency can lead to health problems such as rickets (also known as rickets), especially in children. This disease was often seen in the 19th century in people who rarely went outside or worked in dark factories.
Nowadays, a deficiency mainly occurs due to:
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Insufficient sunlight
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Too little vitamin D in food
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Poor absorption in the intestines
Children, the elderly and people with dark skin are at extra risk.
📷 Image: Child with rickets (rickets) –
due to bone deformity in case of vitamin D deficiency.
🍽 What foods contain vitamin D?
The richest natural sources of vitamin D are:
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Fatty fish (such as herring, salmon, mackerel)
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Cod liver oil
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Egg yolk
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Enriched margarine or baking products
Yet most people do not get enough vitamin D from this. Certainly not with a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Vitamin D supplementation: when and how?
According to the Nutrition Center , supplementation is advisable in the following cases:
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You rarely go outside
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You wear covering clothing
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You have dark skin
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You are pregnant or over 70
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You eat few animal products
📌 Always choose vitamin D3 in oil form (capsules or drops). This is best absorbed.
To lubricate or not to lubricate?
Sunscreen is important to protect your skin from burning, but… it also blocks the UV-B radiation that you need to make vitamin D. Our advice:
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Go outside for 15–30 minutes every day without sunscreen
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Preferably with bare arms or legs
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Do this before 11am or after 4pm to avoid burning
Then: spread it on!
