Understanding How Do Vegans Get Vitamin D?

October 5, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Vegan Society, a well-planned vegan diet can provide all the necessary nutrients, but special attention is needed for certain elements like vitamin D. Understanding how do vegans get vitamin D is essential for maintaining strong bones, a robust immune system, and overall health.

Quick Summary

This article explains the key strategies vegans use to obtain sufficient vitamin D, including sun exposure, fortified plant-based foods, and specific supplements. It outlines the differences between D2 and vegan D3, highlighting the best food sources and recommending safe practices.

Key Points

Sunlight is primary: The main source of vitamin D for everyone is safe sun exposure, though it varies by season, skin tone, and location.
Fortified foods help: Vegans can significantly boost their vitamin D intake with fortified plant milks, cereals, and yogurts.
UV-treated mushrooms are a food source: Mushrooms exposed to UV light are a natural, plant-based source of vitamin D2.
Supplements offer reliability: Vegan supplements, available in D2 or lichen-derived D3, are a reliable way to ensure adequate intake, especially in winter.
D3 from lichen is vegan: Unlike animal-derived D3 (from lanolin), vegan D3 is sourced from lichen, offering a potentially more effective supplement than D2.
Consult a professional: For personalized guidance on meeting vitamin D needs, it's best to consult a healthcare provider or dietitian.

The Importance of Vitamin D in a Vegan Diet

Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient that plays a vital role in several bodily functions. It's essential for regulating calcium and phosphate levels, which are necessary for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, and muscles. A deficiency can lead to bone deformities like rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Beyond bone health, vitamin D also supports immune function, nerve activity, and mood regulation. While many people, regardless of diet, can be deficient, a vegan diet contains little naturally occurring vitamin D, making careful planning important.

The Role of Sunlight for Vitamin D Production

For everyone, the primary natural source of vitamin D is sunlight. When your skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, it produces vitamin D. This process is just as effective for vegans as for non-vegans, but several factors can influence production, including skin tone, time of day, season, and geographical location. People with darker skin require more sun exposure to produce the same amount of vitamin D as those with lighter skin. While sun exposure is a powerful tool, it must be balanced with sun safety, as excessive exposure can increase the risk of skin cancer.

Best Practices for Sun Exposure:

Aim for 10–30 minutes of sun exposure to your face, arms, and legs, a few times per week, during spring and summer.
Consider the time of day, typically between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the sun is highest.
Always protect your skin from burning.
During autumn and winter, especially in higher latitudes, reliance on sun exposure alone is often insufficient.

Fortified Foods: A Convenient Option

Many foods on the market are fortified with vitamin D to help people meet their dietary needs. For vegans, these fortified products are a key way to increase intake without relying solely on supplements. Checking labels is essential, as not all brands fortify their products, and the amount of added vitamin D can vary.

Commonly Fortified Vegan Foods:

Plant Milks: Soy, almond, oat, and rice milks are often fortified with vitamin D and calcium.
Yogurts and Spreads: Many plant-based yogurts and margarine spreads now include added vitamin D.
Breakfast Cereals: Several brands of breakfast cereals are fortified, providing a straightforward way to start the day with extra vitamin D.
Orange Juice: Some brands of orange juice also offer a fortified vegan-friendly option.
Tofu: Certain types of tofu may be fortified, serving as a versatile source in many dishes.

The Power of Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a unique and natural vegan source of vitamin D, specifically D2, because they can synthesize it when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. While many commercially grown mushrooms are cultivated in the dark and contain very little vitamin D, some are intentionally treated with UV light to increase their content.

Mushroom Vitamin D Facts:

UV-Treated Mushrooms: Look for mushrooms labeled as 'exposed to UV light.' A single cup of UV-treated cremini mushrooms, for instance, can provide a substantial amount of your daily requirement.
Wild Mushrooms: Wild varieties like morels are naturally higher in vitamin D due to sun exposure.
Growing Your Own: You can even boost the vitamin D content of your own mushrooms by placing them in direct sunlight for a short period.

Supplements: A Reliable Choice

For consistent and reliable intake, especially during winter months or for those with limited sun exposure, vegan supplements are a practical and effective solution. When choosing a supplement, it's crucial to understand the difference between vitamin D2 and vegan vitamin D3.

Vitamin D2 vs. Vegan Vitamin D3


Feature	Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)	Vegan Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)
Source	Produced by exposing yeast or fungi to UV light, making it always vegan.	Sourced from lichen, algae, or other plant sources; traditional D3 is animal-derived (lanolin).
Efficacy	Effective at raising blood levels of vitamin D, but potentially less effective than D3 at maintaining them long-term.	Considered by some studies to be more effective than D2 at raising and maintaining vitamin D levels in the body.
Form	Available in tablets, capsules, and liquid forms.	Available in tablets, capsules, and spray forms; reputable brands are verified by vegan organizations.

Conclusion

While a vegan diet requires attention to vitamin D intake, there are multiple reliable strategies available to ensure adequate levels. Sun exposure remains a powerful tool, particularly during the sunnier months, but it must be practiced safely. Fortified plant-based foods, such as milks, cereals, and yogurts, offer a convenient daily source. For a consistent and guaranteed intake, especially in areas with limited sunlight, vegan vitamin D2 or lichen-derived D3 supplements are a safe and effective option. Combining these methods—smart sun exposure, consuming fortified foods, and supplementing as needed—can ensure that vegans maintain optimal vitamin D levels for long-term health and well-being. For personalized advice, consulting a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian is always recommended. For further reading, an authoritative resource is the National Institutes of Health Fact Sheet on Vitamin D.

Frequently Asked Questions

Relying on diet alone is difficult for vegans, as very few foods naturally contain significant vitamin D. While fortified foods help, most people also rely on sunlight and often require a supplement, especially in winter.

Between 10 and 30 minutes of direct sun exposure a few times a week is often sufficient during spring and summer. However, the required time varies significantly based on factors like skin tone, location, and time of day.

No. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is often derived from lanolin, a product of sheep's wool. Vegans must choose supplements explicitly labeled as vegan, which contain D2 or D3 derived from sources like lichen.

Vitamin D2 is always vegan, derived from UV-exposed fungi. Vegan D3 is sourced from lichen. Some evidence suggests D3 is more effective at raising and maintaining vitamin D levels, but both forms can be beneficial.

Most commercially grown mushrooms are cultivated in the dark and contain little vitamin D. Look for mushrooms explicitly labeled as having been exposed to UV light, which are a good source of vitamin D2.

The best way to know for sure is to have your vitamin D blood levels tested by a healthcare professional. They can assess your needs and recommend an appropriate course of action.

Vegans can prioritize fortified plant milks (soy, almond, oat), plant-based yogurts, cereals, and orange juice. Always check the nutrition label to confirm fortification and the amount per serving.