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Finding foods that are rich in vitamins during your weekly supermarket shop shouldn’t be difficult: there are many simple and affordable foods available to buy that will immediately boost your daily vitamin intake. Vitamins are essential to keep the body healthy and can help you to lose weight, but some – such as vitamin D – have also been shown to help protect people from COVID-19.
Rob spoke to Express.co.uk about how you can give your daily meals added vitamin boosts just from slightly altering your shopping list.
The expert nutritionist said: “Our bodies need vitamins and minerals, particularly during the colder months, to fight sickness, boost the immune system and improve mental wellbeing.”
Rob explained that scientists have recently called for more common food products, such as mushrooms and even bread, to be fortified with more vitamins and minerals.
The nutrionist has been working with the company UK and Ireland Mushroom Producers to undertake more research surrounding this topic.
He said: “British and Irish farmers and growers are enriching mushrooms with vitamin D, with just eight providing 100 percent of your daily recommended intake.”
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Due to the coronavirus and it being winter, the NHS has advised people to eat more foods containing vitamin D, or to take vitamin D supplements.
“The latest NHS advice urges the public to consider increasing their vitamin D intake from five micrograms to 10 micrograms,” Rob said.
However, if you cannot yet get your hands on vitamin D enriched mushrooms and can only find the regular version of the vegetable, Rob recommended placing the mushrooms on your windowsill when the sun is out.
“Then they become a source of vitamin D,” he said.
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The nutritionist advised taking the fungi out of their wrapping and leaving them on the outer side of your windowsill for half an hour before eating them.
“Any variety will work, and it doesn’t matter which way up they are. It is best to do it between the hours of 10am and 3pm for up to 60 minutes,” he explained.
Mushrooms are the only vegetarian food that can make vitamin D as they contain a specific compound called ergosterol.
Foods that contain vitamin D are also beneficial for weight loss because the nutrient increases serotonin levels in the body.
Serotonin can make you feel fuller, therefore leading to less calorie intake and, consequently, weight loss.
There are plenty of other foods that include high levels of vitamin D.
Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines are good sources of the nutrient.
Cod liver oil can be an alternative if you don’t like fish, and it also contains omega-3 acids.
Egg yolks also contain vitamin D, while egg whites contain more protein.
Rob also shared a list of foods that contain other vital vitamins, such as vitamin A, B, and C.
When buying butter on your weekly or monthly shop, opt for Bertolli Original Spread, which is 20 percent of your vitamin A recommended daily amount if you eat two 10 gram portions.
Cheerios and Greek Feta cheese also contain high levels of vitamin A.
As for vitamin B, one eight gram portion of Marmite a day contains 99 percent of your vitamin B1 recommended daily amount, 49 percent of your vitamin B2, and 80 percent of your vitamin B12.
In regard to vitamin C, Innocent Orange Juice, Vita Coco Natural Coconut Water, and Nesquik Chocolate Powder are all good sources of the nutrient.
