Ask the Nutritionist
Q:
How do I know if I’m getting enough vitamins and minerals?
Liz K., Traverse City, MI
A:
Excellent question! Getting enough vitamins and minerals is critical to preventing disease and staying healthy. Although many people turn to supplements to meet their nutrient requirements, experts agree you should not substitute healthful foods with supplements, which are only meant to supplement the diet.
Most healthy people can get all the nutrients they need from a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish and low-fat dairy products. So, how much of each vitamin and mineral do you need? For about 50 years, people have followed the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), defined as the daily dietary intake levels that are sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97 to 98 percent) healthy individuals in a particular life–stage and gender group. Recently, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) replaced the 1989 Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) with updated recommendations for vitamin and mineral levels known as Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). For a complete list of the DRIs recommended by the IOM for women and men, as well as kids and adults, click here.
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