ABSTRACT
Dietary recommendations and guidelines for the consumption of a diet that meets an individual’s requirements for nutrients as well as promotes health and reduces the risks of chronic diseases are available. According to the 1989 edition (or 10th edition), the Recommended Dietary Allowances are “the levels of intake of essential nutrients that, on the basis of scientific knowledge, are judged by the Food and Nutrition Board to be adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy persons.” The new recommended intakes are known as Dietary Reference Intakes. There are four types of Dietary Reference Intakes — Estimated Average Requirements, Recommended Dietary Allowances, Adequate Intakes, and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels. The dietary recommendations and guidelines are useful in advising individuals regarding the consumption of nutritionally adequate diets. By appropriate planning, healthy individuals may obtain all the nutrients needed by the body from foods.
