Basic definitions related to Nutritional Information

Nowadays, each person consume the packed food or related items this or that way. And each consumable product is abiding to give its composition and nutritional information on its labels. So to understand this labeling properly you must know a few basic definitions for Nutrition.

What is Nutritional Information?

Everything that we eat provides nutrition to our body. It includes macro-nutrients like Protein, Carbs, Fats, etc. and micro-nutrients like Vitamins, minerals, etc.

So when anything that we eat in a packed thing then we should know what exactly we are getting. And there comes the nutritional label on each packed product. It is a mandatory step suggested by FDA or FSSAI. It may look like below.

General nutrition label on any food item

As a health-conscious, you would be reading that information minutely but most of the people just overlook it. Many of the people may want to understand the implications of that label but unable to do so because of a few technical terms. So let us define such terms to understand these nutritional labels properly.

Few Basic definitions for Nutrition

Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)

The average daily nutrient intake level that is estimated to meet the requirements of half of the healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group is termed as an Estimated Average Requirement.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

The average daily dietary nutrient intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97–98 percent) healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group.

Adequate Intake (AI)

The recommended average daily intake level based on observed or experimentally determined approximations or estimates of nutrient intake by a group (or groups) of apparently healthy people that are assumed to be adequate; used when an RDA cannot be determined.

Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)

The highest average daily nutrient intake level that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects to almost all individuals in the general population. As intake increases above the UL, the potential risk of adverse effects may increase.


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