Vitamin D and Healthy Fats Are BFFs
August 4, 2015

Vitamin D is an important part of a dancer’s diet, but did you know it’s a fat-soluble vitamin? That means fat improves the body’s ability to absorb it. You may be thinking, I’ll eat some ice cream while soaking up sun! Turns out, that’s not totally far-fetched. 

According to Rachel Fine, a registered dietitian-nutritionist who works with dancers in New York City, some of the best sources of Vitamin D already include fat, like egg yolks (one a day will give you a huge nutrient boost), as well as fish like salmon or canned tuna. If you’re reaching for a fat-free D source, though—like portobello mushrooms—add a little fat (like olive oil to sauté them). A good rule of thumb, according to Fine, is to make sure all your meals incorporate a protein, a complex carbohydrate and a healthy fat.

As for milk, fat-free may lack the vitamins found in higher-fat varieties. Still, Fine recommends skim or low-fat options to dancers, saying they are better sources for calories, fats and Vitamin D than full-fat milk. If you have the choice, however, Fine suggests reaching for milk that is “fortified,” meaning Vitamins D and A have been added back in.

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