Understanding Nutrition: What tea has vitamin D?

October 4, 2025 •

4 min read

According to research, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent even in subtropical regions with abundant sunlight. It's a common misconception that many beverages, including tea, contain this vital nutrient. So, what tea has vitamin D? The answer lies not in traditional tea leaves, but in modern food fortification and specific herbal preparations.

Quick Summary

This guide explores which teas provide vitamin D, focusing on fortified and herbal options. It examines the role of fortified milk in tea and how certain herbal preparations can contribute to your intake. The article also provides a comprehensive overview of how to meet your daily vitamin D needs.

Key Points

No Natural Vitamin D: Regular, unfortified green or black tea does not contain significant amounts of vitamin D.
Fortified Options Exist: Certain tea products are specifically fortified with vitamin D during manufacturing to provide a convenient source.
Mushroom Tea is a Natural Source: Mushrooms contain natural vitamin D, and a tea made from them offers a unique, natural way to obtain the vitamin.
Milk Adds Vitamin D: When you add fortified milk (dairy or plant-based) to your tea, you are consuming the vitamin D from the milk, not the tea leaves.
Mind Heavy Tea Consumption: Excessive tea drinking may interfere with the absorption of other minerals like calcium, which is necessary for vitamin D function.
Supplements and Sun Exposure are Key: The most reliable sources of vitamin D remain sunlight exposure and dietary supplements, especially during darker months.

The Truth About Tea and Vitamin D

Standard, unfortified tea, whether black, green, or oolong, does not naturally contain vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, and tea is a water-based infusion. While tea is celebrated for its antioxidant properties and other health benefits, it is not a dietary source of this specific nutrient. Therefore, relying on traditional tea alone to meet your vitamin D requirements is not effective.

The Rise of Fortified Teas

To address the growing public health concern of vitamin D deficiency, manufacturers have developed fortified tea products. These are specialty teas where vitamin D is added during production, creating a convenient and delicious way to increase your daily intake.

Specific fortified tea brands: Products like TEA+ Vitamin D Green Herbal Tea are explicitly formulated to provide a significant portion of the recommended daily value per serving. Similarly, Tetley offers a "Super Herbal Sunshine Tea" that combines herbs with added Vitamin D3.
Flavor options: These vitamin-infused teas are often available in popular fruit flavors, such as mango and pineapple or lemon and orange, to make them even more appealing.
How they work: The added vitamin D is typically water-soluble, allowing it to be effectively infused and consumed in the tea.

Herbal Teas with Natural Vitamin D

While most herbal teas don't contain vitamin D, there is one notable exception related to a specific preparation: mushroom tea.

Mushroom tea: Mushrooms are one of the few food sources that naturally contain vitamin D. By simmering sliced mushrooms in hot water, you can create a mushroom tea that naturally provides this nutrient. You can enhance the flavor with ingredients like ginger or honey.
Other herbal teas: Some herbal teas like chamomile, dandelion, nettle, and red clover are sometimes cited as potential sources. However, the vitamin D content is either minimal or derived from specific preparations rather than the raw herb itself, making it an unreliable source compared to fortified options or supplements.

Vitamin D from Tea Preparations (Adding Milk)

For those who prefer a creamier brew, adding milk to your tea is another pathway to gain vitamin D, provided the milk is fortified.

Milk tea (Chai): In many countries, cow's milk is fortified with vitamin D. Adding this fortified milk to your chai or milk tea can be an excellent way to get a dose of the vitamin. The combination of calcium and vitamin D in milk is beneficial for bone health.
Fortified plant-based milks: For those following a vegan diet or who are lactose intolerant, fortified plant-based alternatives like soy, almond, and oat milk can be used. Always check the label to ensure it is fortified with vitamin D.

Potential Interference with Absorption

It's also worth considering how tea affects nutrient absorption, particularly in heavy drinkers. Heavy consumption of tea, defined as 6-7 cups or more per day, can introduce high levels of polyphenols and tannins.

Mineral interaction: These compounds can hinder the absorption of minerals like iron and calcium. Since vitamin D works with calcium to maintain bone health, indirectly affecting calcium can impact overall bone health.
Caffeine's effect: High caffeine intake may also negatively impact vitamin D absorption, though this is primarily linked to inhibiting vitamin D receptors rather than direct interference with the fat-soluble vitamin. Moderate tea drinking typically poses no issue for most individuals.

Comparison of Vitamin D Sources


Source	Natural Vitamin D Content	Fortified Option Available?	Typical Daily Contribution	Considerations
Unfortified Tea	No (negligible)	No	0%	Relies on external additions (e.g., fortified milk).
Fortified Tea	Yes (added)	Yes	Varies, can provide 100%+ RDA	Easy integration, check labels for percentage.
Sunlight	Yes (produced by skin)	Not applicable	Varies, highly dependent on climate/exposure	Primary source, but seasonal and location-dependent.
Fortified Milk	Yes (added to milk)	Yes	Varies	Excellent for mixing with tea, boosts both calcium and vitamin D.
Mushrooms	Yes (natural)	Not applicable	Small amounts	Can be prepared as a tea, a natural but lesser-known source.
Supplements	Yes	Yes	Can provide 100%+ RDA	Reliable and predictable intake, good for those with low sun exposure.

Conclusion

While a traditional cup of brewed tea does not naturally contain vitamin D, the question of what tea has vitamin D has multiple answers. For a direct source, fortified tea products provide a straightforward solution. For a natural option, mushroom tea is a unique contender. Lastly, incorporating fortified milk into your regular tea is a simple and effective way to boost your intake. For most people, a combination of sunlight exposure, a varied diet that includes fortified foods, and potentially a supplement, is the most effective approach to maintaining healthy vitamin D levels. Ultimately, it’s about understanding your options and choosing the method that best fits your lifestyle and nutritional needs.

For further reading on vitamin D deficiency and dietary sources, visit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website for their professional fact sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, most traditional teas, such as green, black, and herbal, do not naturally contain vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, and tea is a water-based beverage. The only teas containing significant amounts are those specifically fortified by the manufacturer.

Fortified tea is a product where vitamin D is added during the manufacturing process to increase its nutritional value. These are often sold as specific 'vitamin teas' and are labeled to show they contain added nutrients.

Yes, mushrooms are one of the few natural food sources of vitamin D. You can make a mushroom tea by simmering mushrooms in water to extract some of this nutrient. This is a natural, though generally less potent, source compared to a fortified product.

Yes, if you use milk that has been fortified with vitamin D. The vitamin D is from the milk, not the tea itself. This applies to both dairy and many plant-based milks.

Heavy, excessive consumption of tea (multiple cups daily) might affect the absorption of other minerals like calcium due to its polyphenol and tannin content. Since calcium and vitamin D work together, this can indirectly impact overall bone health. However, it does not directly interfere with vitamin D absorption for typical drinkers.

The most effective ways to get vitamin D are through direct sunlight exposure and dietary supplements. Eating fatty fish, eggs, and fortified foods like cereals and juices are also great options.

Fortified teas are designed to provide a safe amount of vitamin D per serving. However, excessive intake from multiple sources, including supplements, should be monitored. Manufacturers generally recommend a limited number of servings per day.