The Recommended Daily Allowance, known as RDA, are recommendations for nutrients. They were developed by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. The RDA state the amount of a nutrient that is needed for most people to stay healthy. They are different for children, adults, males, and females.
The Dietary Reference Intake, known as DRI, are an umbrella group that includes the following other nutrient measures: · RDA · Adequate Intakes, known as AI · Estimated Average Intakes, known as EAR · Tolerable Upper Intakes, known as UL
DRI is slowly becoming the more accepted form for nutrient recommendations. Experts expect that DRI will take the place of the RDA in time.
Until publication of the new DRI, we herewith refer to the old RDA Shedule, with some of the new DRI worked in, as a point of reference only.
Fat Soluble Vitamins
Water Soluble Vitamins
Minerals and other Nutritional Elements
Amino Acids
The Recommended Daily Allowance represents the establishment of a nutritional norm for planning and assessing dietary intake, and are the levels of intake of essential nutritients considered to be adequate to meet the known needs of practically all healthy people.
When introducing the new revision of the Recommended Daily Allowance in 1974, Dr. Alfred E. Harper, the then chairman of the Committee on Dietary Allowances, Food and Nutrition Board said "..However requirements may differ with age and body size; among individuals of the same body size owning to differences in genetic makeup; with the physiologic state of individuals - growth rate, pregnancy, lactation; and with sex.."