You reported in April that mineral oil can lower vitamin D levels. Do olive or other oils pose the same risk? —C.L., Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
No, because they don’t interfere with the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients in the gut. Unlike animal fats or vegetable oils, mineral oil—which is made from petroleum—isn’t digested by the body; rather, it passes unabsorbed through the gut and out the bowel, taking with it any of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) that have hitched a ride.
In contrast, vegetable or fish oils and their dissolved vitamins are digested in the intestine and absorbed into the body. In fact, cod-liver oil is an excellent source of vitamin D, and many vegetable oils contain vitamins E and K.
Find out why you need vitamin D and how to get your vitamin D from food.
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