Vitamin D is the vitamin produced when an individual is out in the sun. While it is possible to get Vitamin D from supplements and some foods, the best way to get your daily value of Vitamin D is by letting your body produce it naturally when your skin is exposed to the sunlight.

For light-skinned people who burn easily, it is possible to get enough vitamin D from only 15 minutes in direct sunlight. However, for dark-skinned people with lots of pigment in their skin, it might take up to 3 hours of being in the sun for their skin to produce the daily recommended amount of Vitamin D.

Those who wish to acquire Vitamin D from the sun should be aware that it is the ultraviolet rays of the sun that allow the production of Vitamin D. Trying to get Vitamin D using the sun through a window or on a cloudy day will not work as the essential ultraviolet rays are blocked. Also, using sunscreen will block ultraviolet rays, but it is possible to delay the application of sunscreen to allow the body to produce Vitamin D when you plan to be out in the sun for a lengthy period of time.

Vitamin D is essential to the absorption of calcium, and this is why it is found in fortified milk. However, many doctors and scientists advise that the best way to get Vitamin D is from the sun.

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