RDA and processed foods

Many processed cereals now come with ‘added vitamins and minerals’. However, have you ever wondered why or how those vitamins were lost in the first place? Maybe if you chose something that was a whole lot less processed (simple porridge oats for example) there would be no need for added vitamins and they are all present and correct in the whole grain itself anyway. Simple I know, but tr????
ue.

That doesn’t answer our question fully though, and to do that we need to look at what RDA actually means. Standing for Recommended Daily Allowance, RDA’s are basic levels set by the government to prevent deficiency diseases. For example the RDA for vitamin C is set as 90mg. 90mg is the amount of vitamin C that is needed daily to prevent the development of scurvy, this is not however the level that is needed for optimum health. The science of nutrition has established that the optimum daily intake of vitamin C to ensure optimum health and well being is nearer 1000mg. Considering an average orange contains 75mg of vitamin C (and that’s before it has been transported by the supermarket and sat in your fruit bowl for a few days) – that’s a lot of oranges to eat in a day!

Is a ‘healthy diet’ enough?

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the stark reality is that every study of eating habits conducted in Britain since the 1980’s shows that even people who think they are eating a healthy diet actually fail to reach even the RDA’s for most vitamins and minerals.

Many other factors can actually affect how your body absorbs and utilises vitamin and minerals as well. Poor digestive function will obviously affect how well your body breaks food down, and how well nutrients are absorbed. Stress levels and illness all affect the type and quantity of nutrients that your body needs at any one time. It is hard to keep up with these fluctuating needs, even with the best diet.