What is RDA (recommended dietary allowance)?

Where RDAs come from

In India, RDAs come from ICMR-NIN, which last revised them in 2020 using research on Indian bodies and Indian diets.

Because the RDA sits at the high end of what people need, it's a safety margin, not a target you must hit every single day.

ICMR-NIN now also sets:

• an EAR, the estimated average requirement, which is usually about 80% of the RDA and is what it recommends using for planning diets
• tolerable upper limits, because so many foods are now fortified

Reading the RDA for yourself

Your needs change with age, pregnancy, breastfeeding, physical activity and some health conditions.

The simplest way to cover them is a varied diet:

• whole grains and millets
• dal
• vegetables including greens
• fruit
• milk or curd
• some nuts and seeds

Going over a nutrient's upper limit usually happens through supplements and fortified products rather than home-cooked food.

If you think you're short of something, ask your doctor to test rather than starting pills on your own.