Question

The DRI for vitamin D in young adults is 5 g/day. One cup of vitamin D fortified milk contains 2.5 g of vitamin D. How many cups of vitamin D fortified milk contain the DRI for vitamin D?

Short answer

2 cups of vitamin D fortified milk are needed to meet the DRI for vitamin D.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Problem

The exercise asks to determine the number of cups of vitamin D fortified milk required to meet the Daily Recommended Intake (DRI) of vitamin D for young adults, which is 5 grams per day.

Determine the Amount of Vitamin D per Cup

One cup of vitamin D fortified milk contains 2.5 grams of vitamin D.

Calculate the Number of Cups Needed

Divide the total DRI of vitamin D (5 grams) by the amount of vitamin D in one cup of milk (2.5 grams) to find out how many cups are needed: \(\frac{5 \, \text{grams}}{2.5 \, \text{grams per cup}}\).

Perform the Division

Carry out the division: \(\frac{5 \, \text{grams}}{2.5 \, \text{grams per cup}} = 2 \, \text{cups}\). This calculation shows that 2 cups of vitamin D fortified milk provide the DRI for vitamin D.

Key concepts

Vitamin D Fortification

Understanding the importance of vitamin D in one's diet is crucial for maintaining good health. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, which is vital for strong bones and teeth. Due to limited sun exposure or dietary preferences, many individuals may not obtain enough vitamin D naturally. This is where vitamin D fortification comes into play. It's the process of adding vitamin D to food products to prevent deficiencies.

Commonly fortified foods include milk, cereal, and orange juice. These items are chosen because they are widely consumed and can easily incorporate added nutrients without altering the taste or texture significantly. When looking at a nutrition label, you can identify fortified items by noting added vitamins listed among the ingredients or as a featured benefit on the packaging.

Nutritional Problem Solving

Facing a nutritional challenge, such as ensuring adequate vitamin D consumption, requires a systematic approach. Nutritional problem solving often involves four steps.

• Identify the Requirement: Determine the daily nutritional needs, similar to the Daily Recommended Intake (DRI) for vitamins.
• Analyze Food Options: Evaluate the nutrient content of various food items and assess their ability to meet the identified requirements.
• Compute the Intake: Calculate how much of each food item you would need to consume to meet the nutritional requirement.
• Implement the Diet: Adjust your dietary choices to include the computed amounts of food items to satisfy the nutritional requirement.

Applying these steps ensures a methodical approach to address dietary gaps and can lead to healthier nutritional choices.

Calculating Vitamin Intake

To determine whether you're getting enough of a nutrient like vitamin D from your diet, calculating vitamin intake is a skill that comes in handy. The calculation involves simple arithmetic, but understanding the units and conversions is essential. Here's a breakdown of the process:

Define the Nutritional Requirement

First, determine the amount of a vitamin you need daily. In the case of vitamin D for young adults, it's 5 grams.

Analyze the Food Source

Look at the nutrient content per serving of your food items, such as 2.5 grams of vitamin D per cup of fortified milk.

Perform the Calculation

Using these numbers, you can calculate the servings needed to meet your DRI by dividing the requirement by the amount per serving: \[\frac{5 \, \text{grams}}{2.5 \, \text{grams per cup}} = 2 \, \text{cups}\]. It's important to convert the units accordingly to ensure accuracy in your calculations.