Nutrition 101: Daily Requirements

Daily Requirements

Introduction:

Below is a summary of the Daily Requirements for the main nutrients. More details are available on the specific pages for those individual nutrients. The purpose here is to give a general idea of what the daily food intake would look like when all the nutrients are considered together. The 'Sources' column indicates what are considered the main or best sources of the nutrient followed by a 'Servings' column which gives the approximate volumes needed. The Summary section identifies some foods which should be eaten daily or on a regular basis. These foods generally contribute significant amounts of multiple nutrients that frequently appear in the 'Sources' column. For example; dark green leaves are a major contributor of vitamins; A, folate, C, E, K and minerals; calcium, magnesium and iron.

The information from this page is used in the Meal Planning page. Meal Planning looks at developing a daily menu that will satisfy the daily requirements by incorporating the foods and proportions recommended here. The goal is to simply develop some general guidelines or principles to keep in mind when planning a menu or serving up a plate. There's a lot of information in the tables and it can be a little overwhelming. However, if the diet is moderate, balanced and varied, there is no need to be overly concerned with the details of each nutrient. Things will balance out in the long run. Weighing and measuring is a nuisance and is not necessary.

For the Dietary Reference Intakes specific to your age, gender and weight visit the DRI Calculator.

Calories:

The daily calorie requirement varies in a wide range from 1200 to 3000 kcal depending on age, size, gender and level of activity. Below 1600 is usually a weight loss diet, women may average in the range of 1700-2100 and men in the range of 2300-2700. People who are very active will need more than that. If you are of normal weight, your hunger will guide you as to how much you need to eat. If the bulk of the meal is high fiber, high water content (low calorie), nutrient dense foods; fruits, non-starchy vegetables, whole grains and legumes then you can eat until you are full without concern of counting calories.

There is a wide variance between online calculators that determine your calorie needs. They first determine your Basal Metabolic Rate, BMR, then add on the calories needed to support your level of activity. BMR is the energy required to maintain bodily functions while at rest. It should be calculated using your lean weight. The difference in the calculators is related to the amount of calories added on to the BMR for activity. "Lightly Active" can mean adding an additional 50-70% for men or 40-60% for women. The DRI Tool which is used as a reference on this site leans toward the higher end of the range. Other popular calculators like the one on calorieking.com tend to lean to the lower end of the range.

Macronutrients:

For purposes of illustration, the below example gives the approximate values needed for a female, 5' 5" (average American height), 130 lb. (typical weight for medium frame at this height) and 2000 kcal/day which supports a 'lightly active' lifestyle. The "Maximum" values are from the Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academies. The maximum range for fat was modified from 20-35% to 15-35% since many vegetarian nutritionists recommend a lower range. Most nutritionists disagree with a protein allowance above 20% and some (Dr. T. Colin Campbell) feel the 35% value is just irresponsible and does not reflect the science. The number is significantly higher than the American population average of 16%. Protein, particularly animal-based, above 20% can be very unhealthy. The "Better" column recommends a healthier target range.

NUTRIENT	MAXIMUM	BETTER	CALORIES	WEIGHT	SOURCES	SERVINGS
Protein	10-35%	10-15%	200-300	50-75 g	Legumes, soy products, milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, egg, nuts, seeds, whole grains	6-7 servings: 2-3 servings dairy, 1 serving nuts, 1 serving legumes/soy, 2 servings whole grains
Carbohydrate	45-65%	55-70%	1100-1400	275-350 g	Whole grains (cereals, bread, rice, pasta), legumes, starchy vegetables	6-11 servings. Not more than 500 kcal from simple sugars, not more than 200 kcal (12 tsp) from added sugars.
Fat	15-35%	15-25%	400-600	45-65 g	Vegetable oils, mayonnaise, salad dressing, nuts, seeds, avocado, butter	2-3 Tbsp oil. No more than 140 kcal from saturated fat (1.5 Tbsp butter)

Micronutrients:

The DRI values used below are the most recent set of dietary recommendations established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, 1997-2001. The values shown are the highest DRI for each nutrient. In some cases, lower values are more appropriate. For example; 1000 mg of Calcium is sufficient for adults 19-50, 8 mg of iron is sufficient for postmenopausal women and men age 19 and older.

VITAMIN	NAME	DRI	SOURCES	SERVINGS
A	Retinol/Carotene	900 mcg (3000 IU)	Orange and yellow colored fruits and vegetables; green leafy vegetables	1 carrot, 10 baby carrots, ¼ cup greens/sweet potato or ½ cup cantaloupe
B₁	Thiamin	1.2 mg	Whole grains, legumes, soy products	In many foods, not a concern
B₂	Riboflavin	1.3 mg	Milk and milk products, eggs, legumes, green leafy vegetables	In many foods, not a concern
B₃	Niacin	16 mg	Whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds	1 cup fortified cereal plus 4 servings of whole grain
B₅	Pantothenic Acid	5 mg	Whole grains, legumes	In many foods, not a concern
B₆	Pyridoxine	1.7 mg	Potatoes and other starchy vegetables, bananas, avocados, nuts	1 cup fortified cereal plus 1 serving of legumes. A multivitamin can cover gaps
B₇	Biotin	30 mcg	N/A	N/A
B₉	Folic Acid	400 mcg	Green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, legumes	1 cup of fortified cereal or 1 serving of greens plus 1 serving of legumes
B₁₂	Cobalamin	2.4 mcg	Milk and milk products, eggs and nutritional yeast, fortified soy milk	2 servings of dairy (or fortified soy/rice equivalent)
C	Ascorbic acid	90 mg	Citrus fruits, red and green peppers, broccoli, strawberries, papaya, sweet potato, potato, mango, cantaloupe, tomatoes, cabbage, dark greens	¾ cup orange juice, 1 cup broccoli, 1 bell pepper, 1 mango, 1 cup strawberry or 1 cup pineapple
D	D2 egocalciferol or D3 cholecaliciferol	15 mcg (600 IU)	Sunlight, fortified milk, egg, fortified soy milk	3 cups of fortified milk/soy milk provides 7.5 mcg. Sunlight or a multivitamin would be needed to meet this RDA.
E	Alpha-tocopherol	15 mg (22 IU)	Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, canned tomato products, green leafy vegetables	1 serving of nuts (esp. almonds, filberts, sunflower seeds) and 1 serving of greens (esp. spinach, turnip). A multivitamin can cover gaps.
K		120 mcg	Dark green leafy vegetables	1 serving of greens leafy vegetables

MINERAL	DRI	SOURCES	SERVINGS
Calcium	1300 mg	Milk, milk products, dark green leafy vegetables, tofu, fortified soy milk, legumes	3 servings of dairy (or fortified soy/rice equivalent), or 1 serving of greens, 1 serving of legumes and a supplement for ½ the RDA
Magnesium	420 mg	Green leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds	1 serving of legumes, 1 serving of nuts and 4-5 servings of whole grains
Sodium	1.5 g	Table salt, soy sauce, miso	¾ tsp salt or 5 tsp soy sauce
Potassium	4.7 g	Tomatoes and tomato products, potato, sweet potato, legumes, green leaves, bananas, dates, raisins	In many foods, not a concern
Iron	18 mg	Fortified cereals, tofu, legumes, rice, green vegetables (broccoli, kale, collards), tomato, dried fruit (prunes, raisins, figs)	To get 8 mg: 1 cup fortified cereal, or 1 serving legumes and 1 serving of greens. To get 18 mg: consider a multivitamin.
Iodine	150 mcg	Iodized salt	½ tsp salt
Zinc	11 mg	Legumes, nuts, whole grains including barley, buckwheat, wheat germ	1 serving of legumes, 1 serving of nuts and 4-5 servings of whole grains

Summary:

In order to create balanced meals that meet our nutritional requirements it is important to be familiar with the DRI's and what's a good ratio for the macronutrients. Knowing the nutritional content of the main food groups will be invaluable in making good food choices. Here are some general concepts to consider when doing meal plans;

Include some carbs, protein and a little fat in each meal in a general calorie ratio of 65-15-20. For example in a typical 525 kcal meal of brown rice, stir-fry vegetables and tofu;
1.5 cups brown rice contributes 325 kcal (7 g protein)
3.5 oz. tofu (¼ block); 82 kcal (9 g protein)
1 cup vegetables; 35 kcal
2 tsp canola oil used in cooking tofu and veges; 83 kcal
In this meal, carbs (378 kcal) = 72%, protein (7g + 9g = 64 kcal) = 12% and fat (83 kcal) = 16% As you can see, in a real life meal the math is going to be a bit fuzzy. The main point is to have a good serving from each food group. The rest will work out.
Carbs are the main source of energy. They are the main calorie component of the meal. Whole food starches are the best sources; whole grains, breads, rice, pasta, legumes and starchy vegetables.
Protein at each meal will help moderate the rise in blood sugar levels and help you to feel full longer. Each meal can contribute about 1/3 the daily requirement. Best sources are legumes, soy products, milk and milk products, eggs, nuts and seeds.
A little bit of fat at each meal contributes essential fatty acids and when taken with vegetables, aids in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. It will help you to feel full longer. Best sources are vegetable oils (canola, olive, soy) that are used in cooking and prepared foods; mayonnaise and salad dressings. Nuts and seeds also contribute a portion.
A standard multivitamin is a simple way to provide your daily vitamin B₁₂, D, E, iron, iodine and zinc requirement. These can sometimes be hard to get in adequate amounts in some of the more restrictive vegetarian diets. Choose a supplement for your age/gender that provides about 100% the daily values and has a USP (United States Pharmacopeia) symbol on the label.
Calcium requirements are set high and unless you drink the equivalent of 3 glasses of milk a day, a calcium supplement for about 1/3 of the RDA can be helpful to meet the requirement. A Calcium-Magnesium-D supplement in the ratio of 333mg-133mg-200IU is well rounded.
Flaxseed oil or finely ground flaxseed meal can provide a good source of omega-3 oils. One tsp of oil or 1.5 Tbsp of ground flaxseeds a day is all that is needed.

Foods to Eat Daily

Here are some foods that contribute significant nutrients and should be a part of regular diet. If not eaten daily, then try to include them a few times a week.

Whole grains (cereal, rice, noodles, bread, pasta) or a starchy root as the staple carbohydrate in most meals. Sweet potato also makes an excellent staple carbohydrate for a meal. It is one most nutritious vegetables around and adds some variety to the usual grain or white potato based meals.
Green leaves are a major source of beta-carotene, folate, vitamin C, E and K, plus the minerals Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Potassium. Dark greens (spinach, collards, kale, Swiss chard, beet greens, mustard greens etc) are better served cooked. Use green lettuce varieties frequently in salads and sandwiches. Eat a variety of different greens over time.
Vegetables as a main component in cooked meals. They contribute the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber to the meal. Eat a variety of different vegetables and colors over time.
Legumes are a major source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and zinc. Eat ½ to 1 cup a day. Here are a few ways to work legumes into the diet. Try pinto or black beans in Mexican meals, dal, chole or rajma in Indian meals, humus or falafel in Middle Eastern meals, soups (lentil, split pea), baked beans, chili or black-eyed peas in American meals. Soy products (edamame, tofu, tempeh, milk, veggie meats, etc.) also count as legumes.
Nuts and seeds contribute protein, essential fats, niacin, vitamin E, magnesium and zinc. Eat a handful every day. They are best eaten with some fresh vegetables, either in a salad or with some baby carrots as a snack or ground up fine in a glass of orange juice. Eat a variety of different nuts.
2-3 servings of dairy or the equivalent soy/rice products. These provide protein, calcium, vitamins D and B12. One of these servings can be yogurt or kefir. Yogurt is easier to digest than milk and contains probiotics which are good for intestinal health. Plain yogurt goes well with Indian meals and vanilla yogurt is great in fruit salads. Yogurt cups with fruit added usually have a lot of sugar. It's better to use plain or vanilla yogurt and simply add your own freshly cut up fruit.
A serving of citrus or acid fruit; an orange, orange juice, lemon or lime squeezed in a glass of water, lemonade, a grapefruit, strawberries, pineapple etc. These are rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids. An orange juice first thing in the morning is a great way to jump start your day.
Fresh fruit in season. These are packed with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber. Eat a variety of different fruits and colors from day to day; blue, purple, red, yellow etc. A piece of fruit or handful of grapes/berries makes a great in between meal snack.
Dried fruit in moderation; 3-6 dates, figs or prunes or a handful of raisins. These go great on breakfast cereals, fruit salads or as a snack or dessert.

Disclaimer:

The contents of this Web site are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Web site.

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Vegetarian Meal Ideas