Children who drink rice, almond, soy or goat’s milk have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood than those who drink cow’s milk, according to a new study. Canadian regulations stipulate that every 100 millilitres of cow’s milk must be fortified with 40 International Units of vitamin D, non-cow’s milk is not subject to this regulation.
The study tracked 3,821 healthy children ages one to six, of which 13 per cent drank only non-cow’s milk. These kids were twice as likely to be vitamin D deficient compared to those who drank predominantly cow’s milk.
The authors encourage parents and caregivers to read labels carefully when looking for alternative sources of vitamin D for children who don’t drink cow’s milk.
Original research paper published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on October 20, 2014.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
