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Recommended Optimum Nutrient Intakes

Optimum nutrition is defined as eating the right amounts of nutrients to achieve the best performance and the longest possible lifetime in good health. It is nutrition that helps your body's detoxification systems, strengthens your immune system, provides natural antioxidants and natural digestive enzymes. Your diet should incorporate macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, fiber and water in order for your body to work at it's best. Your diet should include all these nutritional sources from varied food sources.

  1. Macronutrients

    • Macronutrients refers to three essential components of your diet: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Carbohydrates are needed for your immediate energy supply and should be 45 to 65 percent of the energy you obtain from food. The recommended dietary allowance for carbohydrates are 130 grams a day for adults. Fats are another source of fuel for the body and are used to carry fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids. Your daily energy intake should feature 20 to 35 percent of it's source from healthy fats such as omega 3s and omega 6s. Proteins are the basic building blocks of life and function as enzymes and hormones. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends around 50 grams of protein average for an adult and your daily energy should obtain 10 to 35 percent from protein.

    Vitamins and Minerals

    • The USDA vitamin recommendation for adult males (19-50 years of age) are: 900ug vitamin A, 90mg vitamin C, 5ug vitamin D, 15mg vitamin E, 120ug vitamin K, 1.2mg thiamin, 1.3mg riboflavin, 16mg niacin, 1.3mg vitamin B6, 400ug folate, 2.4ug vitamin B12, 5mg pantothenic acid, 30ug biotin and 550mg choline.

      The recommended vitamin requirements for an adult female (19-50 years of age) are: 700ug vitamin A, 75mg vitamin C, 5ug vitamin D, 15mg vitamin E, 90ug vitamin K, 1.1mg thiamin, 1.1mg riboflavin, 14mg niacin, 1.3mg vitamin B6, 400ug folate, 2.4ug vitamin B12, 5mg pantothenic acid, 30ug biotin and 425mg choline

      The minerals needed for optimum nutrition in gram amounts for adults include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and chlorine ranging from .3 to 2.0 grams a day. The trace minerals chromium, copper, iodine, iron, fluorine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc are needed in tiny amounts.

    Fiber

    • Fiber is necessary for an optimum diet and is found in vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. This nutrient fills the stomach, suppresses appetite and slows down the absorption of carbohydrates. Fiber is used to form the bulk of stool and to speed the removal of waste products from the body. The recommended daily dose of fiber is 25 to 40 grams.

    Water

    • Water makes up 65 percent of the human body and the human brain is composed of 95 percent water. It regulates the body temperature, the metabolism, detoxifies your body and forms the fluids that lubricate the joints. The National Academies Institute of Medicine recommends approximately 1 to 3.1 litres of water per day should be consumed. You should avoid tap water and drink filtered water to avoid consuming heavy metals and chemicals.

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