The food labels that you see on packages list a product's nutrient content based on an average daily intake for people older than age 4. You'll find the vitamin content, in particular, expressed as a percentage of the total dietary allowance recommended by the FDA, per suggested serving.
For instance, of the 60 mg daily total of vitamin C, a food portion content of 6 mg would equal 10 percent of the daily value. Because the human body produces vitamin K, it is not considered an essential dietary nutrient like vitamins A, B, C, D and E.
Vitamin A
Your body needs vitamin A from fruits and vegetables to facilitate vision. To achieve the average DV recommended by the FDA, you'll need 5,000 International Units of vitamin E. Food label contents represent percentages of this measurement. The National Academy of Sciences expresses variable vitamin A intakes in micrograms. These recommendations range from 400 mcg to 1,300 mcg for various population groups and provide the figures from which the FDA calculates its averages.
B Vitamins
The eight B vitamins can be found in meats, fish and plant-based foods such as beans. The FDA recommends ingesting 1.5 mg of thiamin, 1.7 mg of riboflavin, 20 mg of niacin, 10 mg of pantothenic acid, 2 mg of B6, 300 mcg of biotin, 400 mcg of folate and 6 mcg of B12. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need additional folate, or vitamin B9, and men and women older than age 50 may need extra B12.
Vitamin C
Fruits and vegetables represent the greatest sources of vitamin C, a nutrient best known for supporting the immune system. The FDA's average 60 mg vitamin C recommendation falls short of adult needs, according to the National Academy of Sciences. Men older than 18 may need as much as 90 mg. Women older than 18 may need 75 mg, or 85 mg of vitamin C while pregnant and 120 mg while lactating.
Vitamin D
You probably see vitamin D content listed most frequently on milk cartons. This nutrient, which the body requires for calcium absorption, is added to milk and occurs naturally in meats, eggs and oily fish. The FDA expresses vitamin D needs at 400 IU per day.
Vitamin E
Antioxidant vitamin E protects cell membranes from free-radical damage. You'll find vitamin E in foods such as spinach, nuts, seeds, cooking oils and fortified breakfast cereals. The FDA suggests getting 30 IU of vitamin E from your diet each day.
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