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Forget Cod Liver Oil; Other Foods Can Pack a Vitamin Punch

Posted on: Wednesday, 26 January 2005, 18:00 CST

Today Patricia Aaron continues her exploration into the science link in the food chain with a look at: Vitamins D, E, K

Fat soluble vitamins D, E and K, just like A, need fat and bile to be absorbed, and are stored in the liver. Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, is unusual among nutrients we need, because the body can synthesize it with the help of sunlight.

For most people, sun exposure to the hands, face and arms on a clear, sunny day for 15 minutes a few times a week is sufficient. Darker-skinned people require longer sunlight exposure than lighter- skinned people do. Rapidly growing children need twice as much vitamin D as mature adults.

For adults under 50, two (8-ounce) glasses of milk supply the needed amount of 200 IU daily. After age 50, the recommended amount doubles, so older adults need four glasses. After age 70, the need rises to 600 IU.

Intake of vitamin D from foods and supplements should not exceed 2,000 IU a day. High doses of vitamin D are toxic because excess amounts are stored in the body and can build to dangerous levels.

Does cod liver oil ring a bell for you? At one time, moms everywhere thought children needed a daily dose of cod liver oil mixed with orange juice -- just a tablespoon from that dark-brown bottle contained 1,360 IU of vitamin D. Thank goodness those good old days are long gone. Now we know we can obtain vitamin D from food sources such as fortified milk or cereal, high-fat fish like wild salmon and egg yolks.

A cup of milk is fortified with 100 IU of vitamin D, as are some brands of orange juice. Many breakfast cereals are fortified with 40 IU per serving. Fish, such as salmon, tuna and herring, have 200- 300 IU per 3-ounce portion. A cooked egg yolk contains 25 IU.

For those who are unable to go outdoors frequently, dietary vitamin D is most important. Vitamin D's major function is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium. It's also needed for strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D aids in the absorption and utilization of calcium in the body. It keeps gums healthy by curbing inflammation and it prevents tooth loss.

There are strong indications that vitamin D is crucial for muscle function that allows us to retain the ability to walk, get out of a chair and do the activities needed for living independently as we age. A vitamin D deficiency in a child can bring on rickets, a disease causing bowed legs.

In 1922, researchers discovered a component in vegetable oils necessary for reproduction and named it tocopherol, which means "to bring forth offspring." A few years later, the compound was named vitamin E.

Another group of chemically related compounds are the tocotrienols, a less active form of vitamin E. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect body cells from damaging substances. It is being studied for its possible role in boosting the immune system and helping to ward off infection.

Extravagant claims have been made that megadoses of vitamin E retard the aging process, improve immunity and prevent and/or cure a variety of diseases and problems, such as muscular dystrophy, cardiac disease, burns and hypertension, among others. For the most part, there is no substantial scientific evidence this is true.

Most ready-to-eat cereals are fortified with vitamin E. Two tablespoons of almonds, hazelnuts or sunflower seeds are great sources -- they contain more than 40 percent of adult RDA, which is 10mg for men and 8mg for women. Other significant sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, seeds and nuts, sweet potatoes, plant oils, fortified grains, salmon and peanut butter.

Vitamin E can be lost from foods during cooking, processing or storage. To retain vitamin E, use whole-grain flours, store foods in airtight containers and avoid exposing them to light.

Unlike other vitamins, the synthetic forms of vitamin E found in some supplements are chemically not the same as the most biologically active natural form of vitamin E. The vitamin E we get from eating healthful foods comes with many other beneficial nutrients, a combination that may help to lower cancer risk. Taking supplements of vitamin E may not offer these benefits.

Vitamin K acts primarily in blood clotting, and also participates in the synthesis of a bone protein. It is being studied for a possible role in cancer prevention. Adult men over 25 need 80 micrograms daily and women over 25 need 65 micrograms.

Vitamin K is made in the GI tract by the billions of bacteria that live there and then is stored in the liver. Because we can't make all the vitamin K we need, we can get more from liver, leafy green vegetables and members of the cabbage family. Milk, meats, eggs, cereals, fruits and vegetables provide smaller, but still needed amounts.

Food is the best source of the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. Eating a variety of food will give you all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Extra vitamins and minerals won't make you extra healthy, just as a pill won't cure a bad diet.

CABBAGE ROLLS

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

2 large heads cabbage, cored, leaves separated and washed

2 cans (12 ounces each) vegetable juice cocktail

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

In a medium-size bowl, combine beef, rice, onion, caraway seeds, pepper and tomato sauce.

Drop 28 cabbage leaves into a large pan of simmering water. Cook 4 minutes or until leaves are bright green and limp. Remove leaves and drain well.

To stuff each leaf, mound 2 tablespoons of filling at stem and fold lower sides over filling. Fold in both sides and roll to enclose.

Layer cabbage rolls, seam-side down, in a 5-quart kettle. Pour vegetable juice over stuffed rolls. Add enough water to cover. Weight down rolls with a plate.

Cover and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary. To serve, top with yogurt. Makes 7 (4-roll) servings.

PER SERVING: 294 calories, 37gm carbohydrates, 6gm fat, 44mg cholesterol.

Patricia Aaron is the home economist and a professor with the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service and New Mexico State University.

Source: Albuquerque Journal

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