TORONTO, ON, June 2, 2006 – In order to provide Canadians with options in their search for foods with fortified nutrients, Minute Maid® has launched Minute Maid® Calcium Rich orange juice from concentrate with added calcium and vitamin D, the only juice available in Canada with added calcium and vitamin D.
One 250mL glass of Minute Maid® Calcium Rich orange juice contains 30 per cent of the Daily Value (DV) of calcium, which is essential to help maintain strong bones and teeth, and 45 per cent of the DV of vitamin D which is necessary to help the body absorb calcium. It also contains recommended daily values of 110 per cent vitamin C and 30 per cent folate.
"Our goal is to help Canadians optimize their nutritional well-being by providing them with products that assist them in making healthy choices," said Eric Bentz, Brand Manager, Minute Maid. "Calcium and vitamin D are essential in our daily lives and many Canadians don’t get enough of either because they don’t drink milk or because they don’t have enough vitamin D. As we saw with our research, many Canadians are unaware that getting enough vitamin D is a challenge and that by increasing their intake they can positively impact their health and well-being."
According to a recent survey by Leger, many Canadians still remain unaware of the many important ways in which calcium can aid the body. Nine in ten (90 per cent) Canadians know that calcium is important to maintain healthy bones and to help prevent osteoporosis: however only 21 per cent knew that it is good for your teeth as well. Surprisingly, only between .5 and 1.5 per cent of respondents correctly answered that calcium can also protect against certain types of cancer, ease back pain and help ease symptoms of PMS and endometriosis.i
When asked what vitamin D could do for the body, about three in five (59 per cent) of Canadians responded that they didn’t know. In addition to helping the body absorb calcium, vitamin D has been shown to slow joint damage due to arthritis, protect against MSii, and help relieve symptoms of psoriasis.iii Only 13 per cent of Canadians knew that vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, and overall, less than 0.6 per cent were aware of the role it can play in arthritis, MS and psoriasis.
Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is essential at all stages of life. Vitamin D increases calcium absorption by between 30 to 80 per cent. The recommended daily intake of Vitamin D is 200 IU from age 2 to 50, 400 IU from age 51 to 70 and 600 IU from age 71 and older.iv According to the survey, most Canadians are aware of the increased importance of calcium and vitamin D as we age, and most (58 per cent) Canadians know that prior to age 30, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is most crucial to help maintain strong bones and teeth.v Unfortunately, there are few foods that contain vitamin D and several factors that contribute to the depletion of levels in our bodies. Vitamin D deficiency is particularly of a concern for those who are lactose intolerant, those of Hispanic, African and Asian originvi, and the elderly.vii
Vitamin D can be derived from fatty fish, fish oils, egg yolks and direct exposure to sunlightviii. According to the survey, over half (55 per cent) of Canadians don’t think they get enough vitamin D from sunlight, and recent studies have shown that they may be correct.ix It is also important to keep in mind heading into the summer months that, although sunblock is important to protect our skin, an SPF of eight or higher has actually been shown to reduce vitamin D production in the skin by 97 per cent or more.x
Now available in grocery stores across Canada, Minute Maid® Calcium Rich orange juice has a suggested retail price of $3.29 per 1.89 litre chilled carton.
Information about Canadians and their knowledge of calcium and vitamin D is from the Minute Maid® Calcium Rich orange juice survey conducted in May, 2006 by Leger Marketing. The survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1,500 Canadian adults and the margin of error for a sample of 1,500 respondents is ± 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
About Coca-Cola Ltd.
Coca-Cola Ltd. (CCL) is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, the world’s largest beverage company and the leading producer and marketer of soft drinks, juices and juice drinks. CCL is responsible for developing new brands, as well as enhancing existing brands specifically for Canadian consumers. This includes advertising, promotions, marketing and packaging innovations, in addition to juice and juice drink manufacturing. Current Coca-Cola beverages include: Coca-Cola Classic®, Coca-Cola with Lime®, C2®, Diet Coke®, Coca-Cola Zero™, Sprite®, Nestea ice teas, POWERADE® sports drinks, DASANI® bottled water, Minute Maid® juices, Five Alive®, Bibo® and Fruitopia®.
Note to Editors: Survey statistics with regional breakdowns are available upon request.
For further information contact:
Lisa Gilbert |
Stephanie Baxter |
APEX Public Relations |
Coca-Cola Ltd. |
(416) 924-4442 ext. 242 |
416-753-8806 |
(i) http://www.wholehealthmd.net/refshelf/substances_view/0,1525,937,00.html
(ii) http://www.healthology.com/focus_article.asp?b=healthology&f=mentalhealth&c=skin_sunlight&spg=FLA
(iii) http://www.healingwithnutrition.com
(iv) http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp#h3
(v) http://health.discovery.com/encyclopedias/illnesses.html?article=1666
(vi) Bouillon R: Vitamin D: From photosynthesis, metabolism and action to clinical applications. Fourth edition, volume two. In: Degroot LL, Jameson JL (eds.) Endocrinology.W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA, 2001, pp. 1009-28.
(vii) MacLaughlin J, Holick MF: Aging decreases the capacity of human skin to produce vitamin D3. J Clin Invest 1985; 76(4):1536-8.
(viii) http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp#h2
(ix) Wharton B and Bishop N. Rickets. The Lancet 2003;362:1389-1400
(x) Holick MF: Calciotroopic hormones and the skin: A millennium perspective. J Cell Biochem 2003; 88:296-307
