One food can boost your vitamin D levels this winter- and it only costs 32p

We're now truly in the depths of winter, and aren't likely to see a good bit of sun until late March at the absolute earliest. During these dark and cold months, it's vital we find ways to supplement our vitamin D, as we're not getting enough of it from sunlight alone.

Vitamin D keeps our bones, teeth and muscles healthy by helping us regulate our levels of calcium and phosphate. During the summer months, our bodies get plenty of the vitamin from sunshine.

But from October to March in the UK, our bodies don't see enough sun to sufficiently sustain our vitamin D levels.

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According to the NHS, a lack of this vital vitamin can result in bone deformities such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, reports Surrey Live.

But there is another way to get vitamin D other than through sunlight. Our diet can have an effect on our vitamin D levels, and eating egg yolks are a great, cheap way to get more vitamin D.

An average pack of six free range eggs costs just £1.95 in Tesco, which comes to around 32p per egg.

According to research by Newcastle University, scrambled eggs contain the most vitamin D. This is followed by microwaved and poached eggs. The study included cooking eggs using five different methods before freeze-drying them to analyse for their vitamin D content.

Fried eggs contained the least amount of the vitamin, just after hard-boiled.

Other sources of the important vitamin are oily fish, red meat, liver and some fat spreads or breakfast cereals, according to the NHS. Salmon and mushrooms also contain the substance, but cow's milk is not a good source for vitamin D, as it's not fortified.

Everyone in the UK is advised by the NHS to take vitamin D supplements during autumn and winter. The British Heart Foundation revealed that one in six UK adults have low levels of the vitamin, meaning they are more likely to develop a deficiency.

Victoria Taylor, a senior dietician at the BHF advises that people who don't go outside much or who cover up when they do go out should take supplements year-round. The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that people with darker skin tones should consider taking a daily supplement as their skin doesn't absorb as much vitamin D from the sun as lighter skin does.

Supplements are available from most supermarkets or pharmacies. For most people, 10 micrograms a day will be enough, and the NHS warns that you should not take more than 100 micrograms as it could be harmful.

Taking too much of the vitamin over a long period of time can lead to calcium build-up in the body which can weaken bones or damage the kidneys and heart.

Children aged between one and ten should not have more than 50 micrograms a day and babies under 12 months should not have more than 25.

"Some people may have medical conditions that mean they may not be able to safely take as much", states the NHS.

Its website advises that if you are in doubt you should consult your doctor, and if your GP has recommended you take a different amount of vitamin D, you should follow their advice.

In addition to being important for building and maintaining bone, vitamin D may have other key roles in our bodies. According to Dr Luke Powles, associate clinical director of Health Clinics Bupa Global and UK, "it's thought to help keep our immune system strong", although we don't know this for certain yet.

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