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Daily Nutritional Values

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides and recommends a list of daily nutritional values for anything and everything that is found in food (see the References section). Some of these nutritional values aim to keep you at or slightly below a specific number, so that you can keep a healthy lifestyle. Other nutritional values are considered a minimum for certain nutrients, aiming to get you at, or above, a specific number. Your body needs all of these nutrients. Following these daily nutritional values will help you to keep your body healthy.

  1. Fat, Cholesterol, Sodium

    • There are two types of fat that have daily values. Adults who are on a 2,000 calorie diet should aim to eat no more than 65g of fat per day. Of this fat, no more than 20g should be saturated fatty acids. While saturated fats in excess are bad, some are needed by the body. As far as cholesterol is concerned, it should be kept at 300mg per day. Sodium should be kept at 2400mg per day. If you are looking to lower your cholesterol and lower your sodium, you should talk to your doctor before you set a personal, individualized daily value goal for these nutrients.

    Potassium, Fiber, Protein

    • Potassium is important for keeping muscles functioning properly, and can be found in bananas and potatoes. You should have at least 3500mg of potassium per day. Dietary fiber is equally important, as it helps the body to keep a regular digestive system. Found in abundance in prunes, along with many other fruits and vegetables, you should try to eat 25g of dietary fiber per day. Protein, like potassium, is important for muscle function. It helps muscles to grow and repair. You should aim for 50g of protein per day. If you are weight training, you should talk to your doctor to ensure that you're getting enough protein to reach your personal goals.

    Vitamins A, C, D, and E

    • Vitamin A is measured in IUs (International Units). You should aim for 5,000 IUs of vitamin A per day. Vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system, and is also important as an antioxidant in the body. You should have 60mg of vitamin C per day. Both vitamin D and vitamin E are also measured in IUs. You shold aim for 400 IUs of vitamin D per day, and 30 IUs of vitamin E.

    B Vitamins

    • Several B vitamins are important for the body. This includes thiamin (B1), riboflavin (b2), niacin (B3), vitamin B6, folate (B9) and vitamin B 12. You should have 1.5mg of thiamin daily, as well as 1.7mg of riboflavin and 20mg of niacin. You should also have 2mg of vitamin B 6 every day. You need to have 400mcg of folate daily, as well as 6mcg of vitamin B12.

    Minerals

    • There are multiple minerals that you need to have daily to ensure a healthy body. You need to have 1000mg of phosphorus daily. You also need to have 400mg of magnesium and 15mg of zinc on a daily basis. Some lesser known minerals, such as selenium, copper, and manganese also have daily values. You need to have 2mg of both copper and manganese, while getting 70mcg of selenium every day.

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