Food: RDA vs. RDI?

[Jinx]

Ok, Hawaiian Punch claims Vitamin C 100% RDI. We can only figure this means Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) vs. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). What’s the difference?Any WAGs on this?

Feeling punchy!

• Jinx

[evilhanz]

From Ask the Dietician:

RDI is the Reference Daily Intake, which is the same as the old USRDA on the food label. Both are based on the 1968 Recommended Dietary Allowances. In other words, the new RDI recommends the same nutrient levels for all people regardless of age or gender and is used on new food labels as the Percent Daily Value i.e. everyone’s DV for iron is 18 mg. Problem is, you don’t need 18-mg iron because you are a male and in fact a high iron intake is not recommended for males. The RDA will tell you the specific amounts of nutrients based on your age and gender i.e. you need 10 mg of iron and adult women need 18 mg.

[Jinx]

Your answer only makes 1/2 sense to me. If I understand you correctly, how can today’s RDA values know if I’m a man, woman, or child…when only one RDA value is provided on the label?

Maybe you have more insight to offer?

• Jinx

[evilhanz]

*Originally posted by Jinx *
Maybe you have more insight to offer?

IANADietician, but as I understand it, the new RDI is just what it says - a reference intake. In order words, it is a general requirement for a healthy human being. On food products, this will be indicated as a “Percentage Daily Value” or “PDV”. RDA has been revised, and is no longer included on labelling, because the requirements depend on other factors like age and gender. RDA of iron for a man is lower than the RDA for a woman, but the RDI is the same. If you saw an RDA on a box of breakfast cereal, who does it represent? A child? an adult? The RDI eliminates that uncertainty. Using the RDI, there is no confusion as to who the requirement is for.