What are the most common dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D?
Storey: Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese are the biggest dietary sources of calcium. Other foods, including green leafy vegetables, also contain some calcium. An increasing number of food products are also fortified with additional calcium. Very few unfortified foods contain vitamin D. Milk and other dairy products are fortified with vitamin D, and these foods are currently the biggest source of vitamin D in the diet. Many other foods could be fortiied with vitamin D. The human body also produces vitamin D when skin is exposed to sunlight. However, recent studies have shown that many people are not producing enough vitamin D through sun exposure, particularly among people who live in northern climates, use a lot of sunscreen, or have dark skin. Overexposure to sunlight also increases the risk of skin cancer, so it’s important to find dietary sources of vitamin D to supplement our natural production of this important vitamin. Why did your study focus on whole grain bread? St