Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) Charts

Knowing what nutrients and exactly what amount of each you need for healthy metabolic function can be extremely difficult, with differing values needed for different individuals depending on their current health condition and countless other biochemical variables. Here are some Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) Charts, “…reference values that are quantitative estimates of nutrient intakes to be used for planning and assessing diets for apparently healthy people. They include not only Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) but also three other types of reference values: Adequate Intake (AI), Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), and Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)”. Of course, these values can NOT be the end all be all determining factors on health, but consuming these recommended/adequate levels of micronutrients on a daily/weekly basis is a great way to support your overall health. These charts were created utilizing the research done by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, on the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) website.

Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): The amount of a nutrient that is estimated to meet the requirement for a sufficient standard of adequacy of 50% of the healthy individuals of a specific age, sex, and life-stage.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): The average daily levels of essential nutrients needed in order to meet the nutrient requirements of 97.5% of healthy individuals in the U.S, this implies that 2.5% of healthy individuals do not get their needs met with these levels.

Adequate Intake (AI): Established when evidence is insufficient to set a RDA and is set at a level assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy, but this value is not as firm in believe to support nutritional adequacy.

Tolerable Upper Intake (UL): The maximum daily intake level of a nutrient until negative side effects start to incur for 97.5% of healthy U.S individuals, this implies that 2.5% of healthy U.S individuals may encounter negative side effects at this maximum nutrient intake level.

Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR): The range of intake, as a percentage of total energy intake, for macronutrients, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) that presents values accepted to reduced the risk of chronic diseases. Total energy intake percentages that are not in the AMDR are considered to promote chronic disease.

Chronic Disease Risk Reduction Intake (CDRRI):