A Finland-based study determined that bread baked with Lallemand VitaD baker’s yeast is as effective (bioavailable) as a vitamin D supplement.


A study led by Christel Lamberg-Allardt, professor of nutrition and head of department of food and environmental sciences at Helsinki University in Finland, determined that bread baked with Vitamin D2-containing yeast is as effective as a Vitamin D2 supplement.

The subjects in the study, 38 healthy women ages 19-41, were randomly assigned different wheat bread and supplement regimes: bread baked with Vitamin D2 bakery’s yeast and a placebo supplement; regular bread and a Vitamin D supplement; and regular bread and a placebo supplement, all with limited sources of Vitamin D.

The four-week trial showed that bread baked with Vitamin D2-containing yeast had an equal effect on S-25OHD concentration as a Vitamin D2 supplement, Lamberg-Allardt says.

In addition, vegetarians and lactose intolerant consumers could benefit from the introduction of a low-fat staple food, such as bread naturally rich in Vitamin D.

“Bread is a staple food consumed daily by persons of different ages and different ethnicities, and yeast is a key ingredient in the production of bread,” says Jean Chagnon, chief executive officer for Lallemand, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada. “The simple process improvement used in making Lallemand VitaD baker’s yeast, with this scientific evidence will certainly result in a significant percentage of all breads and yeast-leavened goods becoming new natural sources of Vitamin D. This is good news at a time when the importance of this sunshine Vitamin D is increasingly recognized by health professionals, public health officials and the general public. This study confirms that bread baked with Lallemand VitaD baker’s yeast is as effective (bioavailable) as a vitamin D supplement.”

To learn more about the study, go to http://www.lallemand.com/vitaminD/study-Finland.pdf.