It seems that everyone north of the Mason-Dixon Line has been advised to take Vitamin D in the winter. In the cold tundra of a brutal Minnesota winter, we take the supplement every morning as part of a regular vitamin regimen. Vitamin D has a role in the release of ‘happy’ hormones, Serotonin, and Dopamine. Vitamin D is produced naturally in the human body through bare skin exposure to ultraviolet rays which causes a chemical reaction that produces and releases the vitamin in a usable form. The problem is that Minnesotan skin does not see the sun for half the year, so our doctors tell us to take it every morning as a supplement instead.

One of the lesser-known benefits of Vitamin D directly relates to the dairy industry.

Dairy is the best source of calcium in the diet. On every carton of Grade A milk, you see the words ‘Vitamin D added.’ This is important because Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium by the body. Everyone knows that calcium creates healthy bones and teeth, but did you know that every cell in the human body uses calcium in some way? Overall, calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, accounting for 1-2% of our total body weight. What the general public doesn’t understand is that the bioavailability of calcium is extremely low without the presence of Vitamin D, Lactose, or Casein. These are complexes which all synergistically promote absorption of calcium into the cells, bone and teeth matrixes. Vitamin D, Lactose, or Casein are also found in cheese and most other dairy products.

It turns out that the bioavailability of calcium in dairy cows’ milk is roughly 30-35%. Cooked spinach is approximately 5%, so by way of comparison, one cup of cow’s milk is equal to eight cups of cooked spinach. As further points of comparison, the bioavailability of calcium in one cup of dairy milk is equal to two cups of kale, four cups of pinto beans, or five slices of calcium-enriched bread.

Popular nut and oat beverages are not immune to a lack of bioavailability of calcium, but for different reasons. While producers fortify the beverages with Vitamin D and calcium, plant foods have considerable amounts of inhibitory substances in them that bind to the calcium, creating a salt complex that can not be used by the body.

The combination of Vitamin D and calcium is essential for maintaining good health. Fortified dairy milk is one of the very the best sources for both Vitamin D and bioavailable calcium.

Brett Roeller is the Director of National Accounts at QualiTru Sampling Systems. Find out a little more about him on QualiTru’s Our Team page. Visit Our Blog for other articles Brett has produced.

By Brett Roeller
Director of National Accounts, QualiTru Sampling Systems
brett@qualitru.com   Follow Brett on LinkedIn