🧪 Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus. Without it, bones and teeth get weaker even with a good diet. The skin makes most of our vitamin D by itself in sunlight. But in winter, northern countries do not get enough sun for this.

Milk itself contains little vitamin D. So in many countries it is added to milk at the dairy plant. This is called fortification. It began in the 1930s to protect children from rickets. But not every country does it. For example, the NHS says that in the UK cow's milk is usually not fortified and is not considered a good source of vitamin D. You can check the pack to see if your milk has vitamin D.

From food, vitamin D comes mainly from oily fish, egg yolks, red meat and fortified foods. The NHS advises children from one year old and adults to get 10 µg (400 IU) a day. In winter, many people are advised to take a supplement. Too much is also harmful: if you take too much for a long time, calcium builds up in the body and can damage the kidneys and heart. The NHS advises adults not to take more than 100 µg a day.