Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Vitamin and Minerals

Many vitamins and minerals have antioxidant properties. For many vitamins and minerals, scientific committees have established recommended intakes. A Requirement is the level of nutrient that an individual requires for efficient functioning.

A Recommended Intake is the level of a nutrient that is set to ensure that the majority of a healthy population will be meeting their individual requirement. These are referred to as Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI) and Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI). These essentially mean the same thing.

What Are Minerals and Trace Elements?
Minerals and trace elements generally occur in the body in small quantities. The major minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium are present in amounts greater than 5g (i.e. >teaspoon). Conversely trace elements are found in amounts of less than 5g.