Vitamins A, D, and E in Canadian Arctic traditional food and adult diets

Abstract

Approximations of retinol (A), cholecalciferol (D), and α-tocopherol (E) in frequently consumed traditional Arctic food were made and applied to dietary analysis within a large-scale effort to assess nutrient adequacy of Indigenous Peoples in the Canadian Arctic. A total of 180 independent samples of Arctic traditional food species expected to be reasonable sources of fat soluble vitamins were sampled from a wide geographic range. Many values for these vitamins are reported for the first time in these tissues. Excellent sources of all three nutrients were found in sea mammal fats (beluga, narwhal, seal, walrus) and organ meats (liver of both sea and land species). Fish (char, cisco, lake trout, loche, sculpin, whitefish) was especially rich in D, with highest levels in loche liver (mean 318 μg/100 g). After inserting these data into our food composition database, estimations of inadequacy for Dene/Métis, Yukon First Nations and Inuit for vitamins A, D, and E were conducted using SIDE software. Results revealed close to 100% inadequacy for vitamin A for Dene/Métis, but better results for Yukon and Inuit. Only Inuit were likely adequate for vitamin D. All three groups were close to 100% inadequate for vitamin E. It is concluded that traditional food resources that are excellent sources of fat-soluble nutrients can be promoted to protect vitamin nutrition in Arctic indigenous populations.