Nutrients : How much your body needs daily ? – Recommended Dietary Allowance Values

Do you know, how much your daily Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat, Vitamin, Mineral and Fibre intake should be? If not, this article is for you !

Our daily nutrient intake, is what keeps our bodies going and functioning. 

A dose of adequate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals is required to energise the body each day so that we can breathe, run, walk, cook, clean, earn ….. practically everything that can be thought of.

Worldwide, the medical and health governing bodies have set certain specific amounts, better know as Recommended Dietary/ Daily Allowances or RDAs for all the nutrients that one needs to take on an everyday basis. 

So, all these nutrients must make way into our bodies through a balanced diet. A diet rich in Macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins) and Micronutrients (Vitamins A, Bs, C, D, E, K and Minerals – Manganese, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Zinc etc.) in the right quantities supports body’s immunity, strength, vigour, happiness and is better than any medicine.

Our diet is influenced by a number of factors like our age, occupation, lifestyle, any medical conditions, weather conditions and the cultures we follow.

Whichever factor may it be, it’s best suggested that we follow the Recommended Dietary or Daily Allowance/ RDA Guidelines for meeting our everyday nutritional requirements. This can be done by either consulting a nutritionist or by ensuring that you have various portions of whole foods, fruits, vegetables, dairy, lentils and meat in your daily diet. Supplements can be added, in accordance with your unique requirements.

This article is aimed at providing information on the amount of nutrients that need to be consumed per day for Full Scoop Health.

Everyday Nutrient Requirement as Recommended

Below are the RDA values for kids, teens and adults that can be referred back to for your How much to eat Dilemmas. Remember these are general values which can change depending on your life phases like pregnancy and any specific medical conditions. 

Conversions :

1 gm  =  1000 mg  =  1,000,000 mcg  i.e.

1 gram  =  1000 milligram  =  1,000,000 microgram

Nutrients		RDA for Kids (Age 3 or less)	RDA for children and Adolescents (Ages 4 – 18)	RDA for Adults (Age 19 and above)
Carbohydrates		60 – 130 gms OR 40% to 65% of Total Calories	130 gms OR 45% to 65% of Total Calories	130 gms OR 45% to 65% of Total Calories
Proteins		9 – 13 gms OR  5% – 20% of Total Calories	20 – 50 gms OR 10% to 30% of Total Calories	45 -55 gms OR 10% to 35% of Total Calories
Fats		Upto 40% of Total Calories	25% to 35% of Total Calories	20% to 35% of Total Calories
Fibre		14 gms	20 – 35 gms	25 – 38 gms
Vitamins	Vitamin A	300 – 500 mcg	400 – 600 mcg	600 – 900 mcg
	Vitamin D	10 – 15 mcg	15 mcg	15 – 20 mcg
	Vitamin K	10 – 30 mcg	50 – 100 mcg	120 – 140 mcg
	Vitamin E	4 – 6 mg	7 – 15 mg	15 mg
	Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	0.2 – 0.5 mg	0.6 – 1.2 mg	1.1 – 1.4 mg
	Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.3 – 0.5 mg	0.6 – 1.3 mg	1.1 – 1.4 mg
	Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	2 – 6 mg	12 – 16 mg	14 – 18 mg
	Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)	1.7 – 2 mg	3 – 5 mg	5 -7 mg
	Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	0.1 – 0.5 mg	0.6 – 1.3 mg	1.3 – 1.9 mg
	Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)	25 – 80 mcg	100 – 300 mcg	200 – 400 mcg
	Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)	0.4 – 0.9 mcg	1.2 – 2.4 mcg	2.4 – 2.8 mcg
	Vitamin B7 / Vitamin H (Biotin)	5 – 8 mcg	12 – 25 mcg	30 – 35 mcg
	Vitamin C	15 – 40 mg	25 – 75 mg	75 – 90 mg
Minerals	Calcium	250 – 700 mg	1000 – 1300 mg	1000 – 1200 mg
	Potassium	400 – 3000 mg	3800 – 4500 mg	4700 – 5100 mg
	Magnesium	30 – 80 mg	130 – 400 mg	300 – 420 mg
	Phosphorus	100 – 460 mg	500 – 1250 mg	700 mg
	Sodium	800 mg	1200 – 2000 mg	1500 – 2300 mg
	Sulphate	100 – 250 mg	800 – 1000 mg	800 – 1000 mg
	Chloride	0.18 – 1.50 gm	1.70 – 2.3 gm	2.3 gm
	Arscenic	1 – 8 mcg	4 – 16 mcg	12 – 25 mcg
	Manganese	.003 – 1.2 mg	1.5 – 2.2 mg	1.8 – 2.5 mg
	Molybdenum	2 – 17 mcg	22 – 43 mcg	45 – 50 mcg
	Boron	3 mg	6 – 17 mg	17 – 20 mg
	Silicon	0.3 – 1 mg	3 – 25 mg	10 – 25 mg
	Selenium	15 – 20 mcg	30 – 55 mcg	50 – 55 mcg
	Nickle	70 – 170 mcg	150 – 600 mcg	400 – 700 mcg
	Chromium	0.2 – 11 mcg	15 – 35 mcg	20 – 35 mcg
	Copper	200 – 340 mcg	400 – 890 mcg	900 mcg
	Flouride	0.01 – 0.70 mg	1 – 3 mg	3 – 4 mg
	Zinc	2 – 3 mg	3 – 11 mg	8 – 12 mg
	Iron	7 – 10 mg	10 – 15 mg	10 – 20 mg
	Iodine	90 – 130 mcg	100 – 150 mcg	150 mcg
	Vanadium	10 mcg	50 – 100 mcg	50 – 100 mcg

References :

National Institutes of Health

National Health Service

Acu-cell.com – Dr. Ronald Roth’s Research Library on Cellular Nutrition & Health Disorders

ICMR – National Institute of Nutrition