Vitamin D Rich Vegetarian Foods in India: 20 Foods Ranked by Vitamin D2 per 100 g (IFCT 2017)
Of the 20 vegetarian foods ranked here from IFCT 2017, pomegranate maroon seeds have the most vitamin D2 per 100 g (109 µg), then black sesame (67.83 µg) and brown soya bean (66.22 µg). The ranking uses the ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) column of Table 3 of the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), raw food per 100 g, and the page also shows mushrooms, milk, paneer and khoa from the same book. It reports the raw food, not what is left after cooking or how much the body absorbs, which IFCT does not report.
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Join the NYUS waitlistWhat IFCT 2017 measures for vitamin D
IFCT 2017 reports ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) for plant foods, measured by LC-MS, and says its vitamin D2 values for plant foods are presented for the first time (PDF pages 5 and 29). Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is reported for animal-source foods. Every value here is in µg per 100 g edible portion, as the mean printed in the book, and the table note on PDF page 101 says a blank cell means below the detectable limit.
20 vegetarian foods ranked by vitamin D2 per 100 g
By IFCT 2017 Table 3, per 100 g of the raw food, of the 20 foods ranked here, pomegranate maroon seeds (109 µg), black gingelly seeds (67.83 µg) and brown soya bean (66.22 µg) are the top three, and fresh peas (12.91 µg) are the 20th. Our reading: the table compares rows, it does not say how much of any food to eat, and the values are means of 5 or 6 regional samples.
| # | Food (IFCT row) | Vitamin D2 µg per 100 g | Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pomegranate, maroon seeds (anar) (E055) | 109 | 6 |
| 2 | Gingelly seeds, black (kala til) (H009) | 67.83 | 6 |
| 3 | Soya bean, brown (soybean) (B024) | 66.22 | 6 |
| 4 | Gingelly seeds, white (safed til) (H011) | 62.74 | 5 |
| 5 | Amaranth seed, pale brown (rajgira) (A002) | 53.98 | 6 |
| 6 | Walnut (akhrot) (H021) | 46.31 | 6 |
| 7 | Maize, tender, local (bhutta, fresh corn) (A007) | 42.34 | 6 |
| 8 | Ragi (nachni, finger millet) (A010) | 41.46 | 5 |
| 9 | Maize, dry (makka) (A006) | 33.60 | 6 |
| 10 | Corn, baby (makai) (D042) | 31.20 | 6 |
| 11 | Rajmah, brown (rajma) (B019) | 25.82 | 6 |
| 12 | Wheat, whole (gehun) (A020) | 17.49 | 6 |
| 13 | Black gram, whole (sabut urad) (B004) | 16.84 | 6 |
| 14 | Amaranth leaves, green (chaulai) (C002) | 16.01 | 6 |
| 15 | Peas, dry (sukhi matar) (B017) | 15.21 | 6 |
| 16 | Black berry (jamun) (E013) | 14.65 | 5 |
| 17 | Lentil whole, brown (sabut masoor) (B014) | 14.52 | 6 |
| 18 | Cluster beans (gavar) (D039) | 13.72 | 6 |
| 19 | Wheat flour, atta (whole wheat flour) (A019) | 13.43 | 6 |
| 20 | Peas, fresh (hara matar) (D061) | 12.91 | 6 |
This is a selection of 20 vegetarian foods, ranked using only rows measured in 5 or 6 regions with a vitamin D2 value printed, not every row in the book. Examples of rows measured in 5 or 6 regions that are left out: pippali (G030, 118 µg, 6 regions); curry leaves (G010, 117 µg, 6 regions); nutmeg (G028, 46.67 µg, 6 regions); cloves (G023, 45.07 µg, 6 regions); mace (G027, 44.92 µg, 6 regions); green cardamom (G020, 43.72 µg, 6 regions); mustard seeds (H013, 31.79 µg, 6 regions); tamarind pulp (E064, 25.65 µg, 6 regions). The spices and condiments, mustard seeds and tamarind pulp are eaten in grams, so they are left out like seasonings. Eggs are left out because this is a vegetarian list. Rows measured in fewer than 5 regions are shown below, not ranked.
Mushrooms and other rows measured in fewer than 5 regions
These rows have fewer than 5 regions, so we do not rank them or use them in any ranking sentence. All 4 mushroom rows are listed, and so is every other non-spice row with fewer than 5 regions and a vitamin D2 value above 20 µg, with the number of regions so you can see how few there are.
| Food (IFCT row) | Vitamin D2 µg per 100 g | Regions |
|---|---|---|
| Oyster mushroom, dried (J004) | 109 | 1 |
| Gingelly seeds, brown (til) (H010) | 76.51 | 4 |
| Soya bean, white (soybean) (B025) | 69.81 | 1 |
| Amaranth seed, black (rajgira) (A001) | 58.67 | 1 |
| Shiitake mushroom, fresh (J003) | 36.40 | 1 |
| Red gram, tender, fresh (hara arhar) (D067) | 28.96 | 1 |
| Wood apple (kaith) (E067) | 28.71 | 3 |
| Rajmah, black (B018) | 27.98 | 2 |
| Chicken mushroom, fresh (J002) | 27.58 | 1 |
| Rajmah, red (B020) | 26.73 | 3 |
| Button mushroom, fresh (J001) | 20.54 | 1 |
Milk, paneer and khoa
Whole milk has no value in the vitamin D2 column of Table 3 (a blank means below the detectable limit). A footnote under the milk rows on PDF page 116 gives cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) of 0.16 µg per 100 g for whole buffalo milk and 0.12 µg for whole cow milk, and 25-OH-D3 of 0.004 and 0.003 µg. The vitamin D2 column lists paneer (L003) at 0.13 µg and khoa (L004) at 0.12 µg per 100 g. By our arithmetic, 200 g of whole cow milk holds about 0.24 µg of vitamin D3. All four rows were measured in 6 regions.
What a serving holds, with weights we chose
IFCT lists foods per 100 g, so a serving needs a weight, and each weight below is ours. Each figure is the value per 100 g times the grams, divided by 100, to the nearest 0.01 µg. These are raw-food values, not what is left in a cooked dish.
| Serving | Vitamin D2 µg |
|---|---|
| 10 g black sesame (til) (H009) | 6.78 |
| 30 g walnut (H021) | 13.89 |
| 30 g dry brown soya bean (B024) | 19.87 |
| 40 g raw ragi grain (A010) | 16.58 |
| 40 g raw wheat flour (atta) (A019) | 5.37 |
| 100 g fresh peas (D061) | 12.91 |
| 100 g raw green amaranth leaves (C002) | 16.01 |
| 100 g pomegranate maroon seeds (E055) | 109.00 |
What the numbers say
- Three seed and nut rows are in the 20. Black gingelly seeds 67.83 µg, white gingelly seeds 62.74 µg and walnut 46.31 µg per 100 g.
- Six grain and millet rows are in the 20. Pale brown amaranth seed 53.98 µg, tender local maize 42.34 µg, ragi 41.46 µg, dry maize 33.60 µg, whole wheat 17.49 µg and wheat flour (atta) 13.43 µg.
- Five pulse rows are in the 20. Brown soya bean 66.22 µg, brown rajmah 25.82 µg, whole black gram 16.84 µg, dry peas 15.21 µg and whole brown lentil 14.52 µg.
- Rice has no value. The vitamin D2 cell is blank for raw milled, brown and parboiled rice, which means below the detectable limit.
What this page leaves out
- Absorption and cooking: IFCT 2017 reports the raw food, not how much the body takes up or what is left after cooking, and we did not read a source that gives this for Indian foods.
- Vitamin D2 against vitamin D3: this page ranks D2, the form IFCT reports for plant foods, and does not compare it with D3 in animal foods.
- Sunlight, blood tests and supplements, which IFCT does not report.
- Rows with fewer than 5 regions beyond the ones listed above, cooked dishes with no IFCT row, and packaged or fortified foods.
- How much vitamin D anyone needs: no requirement is quoted here.
- Whether you have enough of any nutrient: only a doctor or registered dietitian can tell you that.
A note on health
This article is general educational content, not medical advice. It does not say that any food is good or bad for any condition. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, follow a restricted diet, take medicines or supplements, or have been told your vitamin D is low or high, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.
For other full rankings from the same book, see calcium-rich vegetarian foods, vitamin E-rich foods, vitamin K-rich foods, magnesium-rich foods and the vegetarian nutrient guide; for milk per 100 g, see milk calories and protein, cow vs buffalo.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which vegetarian food has the most vitamin D?
Of the 20 vegetarian foods ranked here from IFCT 2017 Table 3, per 100 g of raw food, pomegranate maroon seeds (E055) have the most vitamin D2 at 109 µg, then black gingelly seeds (kala til, H009) at 67.83 µg, brown soya bean (B024) at 66.22 µg, white gingelly seeds (H011) at 62.74 µg and pale brown amaranth seed (rajgira, A002) at 53.98 µg. Dried oyster mushroom (J004) is listed at 109 µg but in only 1 region, so it is not ranked. This is a selection, not every row.
Do mushrooms have vitamin D in the Indian food tables?
IFCT 2017 Table 3 lists vitamin D2 for 4 mushroom rows, each measured in only 1 region: button mushroom (J001) 20.54 µg, chicken mushroom (J002) 27.58 µg, shiitake (J003) 36.40 µg and dried oyster mushroom (J004) 109 µg per 100 g. With 1 region each, we show them for reference and do not rank them.
How much vitamin D is in milk, paneer and khoa?
In IFCT 2017, the Table 3 footnote on PDF page 116 gives cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) of 0.16 µg per 100 g for whole buffalo milk and 0.12 µg for whole cow milk. The vitamin D2 column lists paneer at 0.13 µg and khoa at 0.12 µg per 100 g. By our arithmetic, 200 g of cow milk holds about 0.24 µg of vitamin D3. This page does not say whether that is enough for anyone.
How much vitamin D2 is in a serving of sesame, walnuts, ragi or atta?
By our arithmetic from IFCT 2017 Table 3, 10 g of black sesame holds about 6.78 µg of vitamin D2, 30 g of walnut 13.89 µg, 40 g of raw ragi 16.58 µg and 40 g of wheat flour (atta) 5.37 µg. The serving weights are ours, and these are raw-food values, not what is left after cooking.
Why are rice, barley and coconut not on the list?
IFCT 2017 prints a blank in the vitamin D2 cell for foods such as raw milled, brown and parboiled rice, rice flakes, puffed rice, barley, quinoa, varagu (kodo millet), fresh and dry coconut kernel and coconut water. The table note says a blank means below the detectable limit, so these foods cannot be ranked.
Does this page say how much vitamin D I need?
No. This page lists how much vitamin D2 or D3 IFCT 2017 reports in foods per 100 g. It gives no requirement, no dose and no supplement advice, and it does not cover sunlight or blood tests. If you think your vitamin D may be low, ask a doctor or registered dietitian.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 3 (Fat Soluble Vitamins), Ergocalciferol (D2, ERGCAL) column in µg per 100 g edible portion, mean values as printed, rows opened and read from the PDF on 24 Oct 2026: PDF pages 101, 102, 103, 107, 108, 109, 111, 115, 116 for the ranked rows, PDF pages 101 to 116 for the other rows, PDF page 116 for the mushroom rows, the milk rows and the footnote on cholecalciferol (D3) and 25-OH-D3, and PDF page 101 for the table note on blank cells. Introduction PDF page 5 and section 3.14 on vitamin D, PDF page 29.
The serving weights and the serving figures are NYUS's own arithmetic, and every sentence starting "Our reading" is NYUS opinion, not from a study. Names in brackets are our matching to the IFCT row names.