Vitamin D enriched bread improves bone density

11/04/05 Elderly patients who ate vitamin D-fortified bread for a period of one year exhibit better bone mineral density maintenance than that produced by taking bone-building drugs such as bisphosphonates.

Researchers in Romania, who provided bread fortified with 5000 International Units of Vitamin D and 800 milligrams of calcium on a daily basis to elderly nursing home patients, report a 28 percent increase in lumbar bone mineral density which far surpasses the 8 percent increase in bone mass density typically achieved with bone-building drugs. Dr. Veronica Mocanu, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at the Universitatii in Isai, Romania, presented the study at the Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego this week. Romania was chosen for the study because it is at a northern latitude similar to many cities throughout the world (Seattle, Boston, London) where solar ultraviolet radiation intensity is low, especially in winter months. Vitamin D is naturally produced via skin exposure to UV rays in sunlight. Vitamin D is necessary for proper calcium absorption and utilization for bone.Brands of baked bread are not usually fortified with vitamin D. Natural Ovens of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a maker of preservative-free, wholegrain foods, is an exception. It fortifies its whole grain bread with 600 international units of natural vitamin D per slice. Natural Ovens breads also provide 300-600 milligrams of omega-3 oils from flaxseed per slice of bread.

Typically consumers receive home-delivered bread and other baked goods that are fresher than store-bought baked goods. Store-bought bread is typically 10-days old on the shelf compared to 3-4 days for fresh home delivered bread. The vitamin D study was supported by the Nutritional Resource Foundation, which is funded by Natural Ovens of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Natural Ovens was founded by Paul Stitt in 1976 with the mission of providing food “so filling and satisfying that Americans would not want to overeat.” Natural Ovens pioneered the use of flaxseed in baked goods in the 1980s and makes bread that is fortified with vitamin D and omega-3 oils from flaxseed. Natural Ovens ships fresh baked bread, muffins, rolls, cookies and bagels directly to consumers’ homes and distributes its products in stores located throughout the Midwest. All Natural Ovens products use non-GMO (genetically modified) grains and no preservatives.

For more information go to www.naturalovens.com