How much do you know about Vitamin D? Many of us have heard about Vitamin D and how important it is for bone health, but no one ever tells us what it is or where it REALLY comes from. So here are 6 FACTS and MYTHS about Vitamin D.
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Frosted Flakes is a good source of Vitamin D. MYTH
As hard as it may be to believe, Frosted Flakes cereal is not a sufficient source of vitamin D. Frosted Flakes really is not a good source of any nutrients. One serving of Frosted Flakes contains 27 grams of sugar/carbs. That much sugar will deplete any added nutrients in the popular cereal. Also, Coke has about 27 grams of sugar per serving...
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Vitamin D3 is the closest fortified version of Vitamin D to what is naturally produced in our bodies. FACT
If you live in a place lacking regular sunlight, don’t worry, there are other ways to obtain Vitamin D. Next to the sun, Vitamin D3 is the best source of Vitamin D for our bodies. It is best to acquire a raw Vitamin D3 supplement, but Vitamin D3 can be found in some foods like Wild Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Sardines, eggs and mushrooms.
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Milk is a natural source of Vitamin D. MYTH
Actually, raw milk does not even contain vitamin D. What is found in milk is a synthetic form of Vitamin D, sometimes referred to as fortified Vitamin D, which is added to the milk during production. Did you know, fortified Vitamin D has been shown to actually block the effects of natural Vitamin D from the sun? In addition, REAL Vitamin D is 2x as effective as fortified Vitamin D. Don’t waste your time drinking milk to get your Vitamin D supply, just simply go outside in the sun!
- The Sun is the best source of Vitamin D. FACT
When the sun hits your skin, something amazing happens. Your skin will start producing cholecalciferol to be converted by your liver into calcidiol. This is the form of Vitamin D our bodies are able to use to regulate calcium in our blood. What else is amazing about your skin is that it has the ability to regulate the conversion by storing pre-vitamin D and destroying anything that goes above what is a safe. And the best part, it only takes 5 minutes in the sun for this process to start!
- Vitamin D is an actual Vitamin. MYTH
Vitamin D in fact isn’t a vitamin at all, it is actually a hormone. The hormone is produced in the
kidneys to help control calcium concentration in the blood. Your body has the ability to make most of the Vitamin D it needs to regulate calcium and only about 10% of daily vitamin D comes from food.
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Vitamin D deficiency enables disease progression in the body. FACT
A study done by Mayo Clinic found patients with low levels of vitamin D at the time of being diagnosed with Leukemia were 2 times as likely to pass way and the cancer progressed at a much faster rate than those with appropriate levels of Vitamin D. And on the reverse side, patients with higher levels of vitamin D showed longer survival rates and progression of the disease decreased.