The federal government tries to standardize information on daily doses of vitamins and minerals, but recommendations vary among departments. The most well-known and often-used numbers come from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) daily values, or DVs, that appear on packaged food and nutritional supplement labels. Other terms associated with "recommended dietary allowances" of nutrients include: recommended daily allowances (RDAs), daily reference values (DRVs) and reference daily intakes (RDIs).
The FDA bases its DVs for ages 4 and up on official figures from the Food and Nutrition Board. It requires consumer food labels to list certain nutrients: those that must be limited for health, including fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates and protein; and those that should be increased in a healthy diet, including vitamins, minerals and fiber. The FDA averages DVs to apply across gender and age groups, so optimum nutrient levels for individuals may be higher or lower.
Fat, Cholesterol, Salt, Sugar and Protein
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests limiting these nutrients for a healthy diet plan, but they are still essential or highly effective in maintaining normal body metabolism. On food labels, daily values for fat are broken down by type, including total fat (65 g), saturated fat (20 g) and trans fat (0 g recommended). Nutrition facts also must show the percentage of these DVs contained in one standard serving size.
The FDA sets a 300 mg DV for cholesterol. Sodium is salt, and a daily dose shouldn't exceed 2,400 mg from all dietary sources. Total carbohydrates include sugars; the recommended amount is 300 g. The protein DV is 50 g.
Vitamins
The USDA warns that Americans may not get adequate daily values of vitamin A (5,000 international units [IU]), vitamin C (60 mg) and vitamin E (30 IU). Children and older adults should also concentrate on a daily dose of vitamin D (400 IU) from sun exposure or dietary supplements.
Vitamin K (80 mcg) is essential, but is usually adequately produced within the large intestine. All of the B vitamins are necessary to body function as well. Pregnant and lactating women, however, need special doses of folate, or vitamin B9: 800 mcg compared to 400 mcg for the general population.
Minerals and Fiber
The USDA counsels an increase in dietary fiber and minerals such as potassium and magnesium to create the kind of healthy diet that lowers risk for chronic diseases. Fiber daily values are set at 25 g.
In addition to potassium (3,500 mg) and magnesium (400 mg), daily doses of calcium (1,000 mg) are important to bone health at all ages. Calcium intake should be increased to 1,300 mg for pregnant and lactating women.
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