8 Yummy Recipes with Vitamin D Foods for Hair Growth
By Jacqueline Samaroo
One of the best ways to grow strong and healthy hair is by nourishing your body on the inside with the foods you eat.
Our bodies use vitamin D for several important functions, including growing a headful of healthy hair. Our skin makes vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, naturally when exposed to direct sunlight. Unfortunately, most of us don’t spend enough time outside to get all the vitamin D we need.
Added to that,
- There aren’t many natural food sources of vitamin D.
- Darker skin makes less vitamin D than lighter skin.
- Vegan and vegetarian diets are often lacking in vitamin D.
That’s why many of us actually have a vitamin D deficiency. It is also why supplements of vitamin D are often recommended.
Read all about the benefits of vitamin D for hair: Vitamin D for Hair Growth – 3 Incredible Benefits.
We scoured the internet and found some ridiculously easy and awesomely tasty dishes that make use of the limited foods with vitamin D. We made sure to include several that have vitamin D foods for vegans, too. Give one (or all) of them a try and let us know what you think!
Here’s a look at the vitamin D recipes we’ve got lined up:
- Cream of Sundried Mushroom Soup
- Super Simple Salmon
- Classic Salmon Patties
- Sardine Rice Bowl
- Asian Greens and Shiitake Mushrooms
- The BEST Deviled Eggs
- Oat Milk Smoothie (Vegan)
- 5-Minute Golden Milk
Cream of Sundried Mushroom Soup
Vitamin D foods: Sundried mushrooms
Some common mushrooms and a type of lichen are the only real plant sources of vitamin D. Plus, mushrooms can have their vitamin D content boosted by exposure to UV rays, as from sunlight. This recipe uses sundried mushrooms to make a comforting pot of cream of mushroom soup that’s enough for four servings.
It starts with sautéed onions to which soaked mushrooms (could be the tops only) are added. The rest of the ingredients are coconut milk, butter, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper – to taste. You can make your own coconut milk or use store-bought, fortified coconut milk. It and other plant milks usually have vitamin D added, making them great vitamin D foods for vegans.
Plus, this can be a totally vegan cream of sundried mushroom soup, too. All you would need to do is use a plant oil in place of the butter. Enjoy!
Click here to see the full recipe.
Super Simple Salmon
Vitamin D foods: Salmon
Prep. Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
All this recipe needs are salmon fillets and five other ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. They are garlic powder, dried basil, butter, lemon, and salt. Simply rub the dry ingredients into the salmon, then cook it in melted butter – mmm!! Get it brown and flaky then serve it topped with a wedge of lemon.
You’ll love how easy this recipe is and the fact that you can play around with the spices you use to suit your own taste. As one reviewer puts it, “This makes me want to cook salmon more often now.” We hope it does the same for you ‘cause salmon are a darn good source of vitamin D.
Click here to see the full recipe.
Note: Beef liver is also a very good source of vitamin D and vitamin A. You can check out a sumptuous beef liver and onions dish featured in our recent roundup of recipes with vitamin A foods.
Classic Salmon Patties
Vitamin D foods: Salmon
Prep. Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Our next recipe of vitamin D foods for hair growth helps us fulfill that desire to cook vitamin D-rich salmon more often. This classic recipe for salmon patties takes a bit more work than the salmon fillets we just showed you, but they are just as tasty.
You’ll need canned salmon, onion, parsley, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and butter – that’s it! Combine the first six ingredients, shape them into patties, and fry them up crispy in the butter. This recipe makes about 12 small patties for six servings. These are going to be awesome – we know it!
Click here to see the full recipe.
Sardine Rice Bowl
Vitamin D foods: Sardines and egg yolk
Prep. Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
This sardine rice bowl is like those really cheap but (hopefully) nutritious meals you and your roommates would whip up back in college. The sardines and the yolk of the fried egg that tops the dish are both foods rich in vitamin D. So, take a stroll down memory lane with this one!
Grab a tin of sardines in tomato sauce (or plain sardines and a can of tomato paste). Warm them up and use as a topping for cooked rice, quinoa, or couscous. Next, top the sardines off with a fried egg. You could poach the egg instead to cut the grease out of the recipe. (Sardines already have plenty of good natural oils in them!)
Your last ingredients are red pepper flakes (probably came with the pizza you and your roomie ordered the night before) for garnishing. Voila! You have a tasty, quick meal with plenty of vitamin D for hair growth.
Click here to see the full recipe.
Asian Greens and Shiitake Mushrooms
Vitamin d foods: Mushrooms
Prep. Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
If you’ve got 20 minutes and want to whip up something super quick and super delicious, then this vegetables and shiitake mushrooms recipe is the thing. Plus, it’s got loads of vitamin D and looks all fancy – like you ordered it in an elegant Asian restaurant!
This recipe has just three steps. First, stir-fry garlic and ginger in peanut oil. Next, add mushrooms pak choy, bok choy, corn, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Then, give it a toss, turn the heat down, and let it cook through. Too easy!
Click here to see the full recipe.
The BEST Deviled Eggs
Vitamin D foods: Egg yolks
Prep. Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Deviled eggs might look all fancy-schmancy but they’re actually easy to make. Egg yolks are an excellent vitamin D food source, so grab a dozen hard-boiled eggs and let’s get cracking!
Mash the egg yolks and add in Greek yogurt or mayonnaise. You’ll also need to throw in some lemon juice or vinegar for tartness, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper, to taste. Use the mixture to fill the egg white halves and top them off with paprika and chives. Yummy!!
Click here to see the full recipe.
Our last two recipes are for vitamin D drinks (one hot, one cold, both really GOOOOD!!) Think “yummy tummy” and “healthy hair” as you savor the flavors of these tasty examples of foods with vitamin D.
Oat Milk Smoothie (Vegan)
Vitamin D foods: Fortified oat milk
Prep. Time: 5 mins
Active Time: 0 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Here’s a satisfying way to drink your vitamin D foods for hair growth! Breakfast cereals and many types of milk are some common foods fortified with vitamin D. Fortified oat milk is packed with nutrients which is why so many vegans simply love it and love cooking with it.
This refreshing smoothie calls for your choice of frozen fruit blended with a banana, oat milk, ice cubes, and maple syrup or honey. Feel free to add a protein source, as well. Suggestions given in the recipe include almond butter and chia seeds.
You can have your oat milk smoothie straight away or store it in the fridge for tomorrow. Hmm… I think I’ll slurp it all down right now!
Click here to see the full recipe.
5-Minute Golden Milk (Vegan)
Vitamin D foods: Fortified coconut milk and fortified almond milk
Prep. Time: 1 min
Cook Time: 4 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Last up on our list of recipes packed with vitamin D foods, is a comforting and relaxing nighttime drink. It’s golden milk – a traditional Indian recipe made with milk and turmeric (that’s where the “golden” in its name comes from).
Apart from the goodness of the milks, turmeric is also known to have some health-boosting properties of its own. Make golden milk by warming coconut milk and almond milk with some turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, coconut oil, and black pepper. You can use maple syrup as the sweetener.
Remove it from the heat and adjust the taste with more spices and flavorings to suit you. Serve and enjoy!
Click here to see the full recipe.
Do you have a favorite recipe that uses vitamin D foods? Share!
