How to track vitamins and minerals,
the UK way.
Forget the US Daily Value. UK labels and UK guidance run on the FSA Nutrient Reference Value (NRV). Log a week, read the weekly summary, look for anything consistently below 70 percent. That's the gap. Then read on for which to check first.
Five steps,
one week.
We use this routine inside the app and we recommend it for any tracker. A representative week beats a perfect day.
Step 1: Pick a UK NRV tracker
Pick a tracker that measures micronutrients against UK NRV, not US Daily Value. The numbers differ for several nutrients (vitamin C is 80mg UK NRV, 90mg US DV). Our app uses NRV throughout.
Step 2: Log a representative week
Seven days, weekdays plus a weekend. One typical day isn't enough; patterns vary. Scan packs where you can; for whole foods (banana, eggs, chicken) the type-in is quick.
Step 3: Read the weekly summary
Look for any vitamin or mineral consistently below 70 percent of NRV across the week. That's the gap. A single day at 40 percent isn't a worry; five days at 40 percent is.
Step 4: Cross-check the NDNS shortlist
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey flags six recurring UK shortfalls: vitamin D, iron (women), B12 (vegans and over-50s), folate, magnesium, iodine. Check your gap list against those.
Step 5: Take it to your GP
Screenshot the weekly summary. Discuss before supplementing. Blood tests confirm what the diary suggests, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) can be overdosed. The diary is the evidence, the GP is the decision-maker.
Where UK adults
actually run short.
From the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Worth checking first because the odds say these are where your gaps will sit.
Vitamin D
The NHS recommends a daily 10µg supplement October to March for everyone aged four and over. The sun is too low for skin synthesis through a UK winter; oily fish and fortified spreads don't usually close the gap alone.
Iron (women)
Around 24 percent of UK women aged 19 to 64 fall below the NRV per NDNS. Premenopausal women have higher needs. Red meat, lentils, dark leafy greens; pair plant sources with vitamin C to absorb more.
B12 (vegans, over-50s)
B12 lives in animal foods or fortified plant milks and cereals. Vegans need a daily source. Over-50s absorb less; the NHS suggests checking with a GP if symptoms include fatigue or pins-and-needles.
Folate, magnesium, iodine
Folate matters before and during early pregnancy. Magnesium is hidden in nuts, seeds and dark chocolate; many UK adults run light. Iodine (dairy, white fish, eggs) often dips low in pregnancy; speak to your GP if you're planning.
14 vitamins, 13 minerals,
against UK NRV.
How the Pro micronutrient view reads after seven days. The numbers update as you log; the weekly summary aggregates so you can see the gap, not the noise.
Under 70 percent for five out of seven days. A genuine gap. The 10µg/day winter supplement is the standard NHS step.
Reasonable. Above 70 percent across the week. Pair beans, lentils and leafy greens with vitamin C for better absorption.
On target. Berries, citrus, peppers and broccoli are the lifters.
Below 70 percent. Nuts, seeds, beans, dark leafy greens, dark chocolate. Cheap fixes available.
A diary,
not a prescription.
We track and surface. We don't tell you to take vitamin D. We don't recommend a dose. Blood tests beat diary patterns when it comes to deficiency, and your GP is the person to order them.
If symptoms persist, see your GP
Persistent tiredness, low mood through winter, hair feeling thin, recurrent infections. The NHS lists these as worth a GP conversation, especially with a vitamin-D-light weekly summary.
Pregnancy and planning
Folate before and during early pregnancy. Iodine in pregnancy. Speak to your midwife or GP. The app can show the pattern, the clinician sets the supplement plan.
Children and teenagers
Daily NRVs differ for kids. Bring the diary to the GP or HV; we don't market the app at under-16s as a tracker for them to use alone.
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
These accumulate. The NHS publishes upper intake limits (vitamin A 1.5mg; vitamin D 100µg for adults). The diary tells you when you're light. Don't double-dose without medical advice.
Frequently
asked.
From readers and support.
Vitamins are organic compounds your body needs in small amounts (A, B-complex, C, D, E, K). Minerals are inorganic elements like iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Both are essential; your body can't make them from scratch, so they come from food or supplements.
No. NRVs are guides, not strict daily targets. The NHS uses week-long averages for most nutrients. A single day under 100 percent isn't a problem; a pattern of consistently low intake across weeks is.
The 2025 NDNS report flagged vitamin D, folate in women of childbearing age, iron in women 19 to 64, B12 in vegans and over-50s, magnesium, and iodine in pregnant women as common UK shortfalls.
Nutrient Reference Value, the UK and EU equivalent of the US Daily Value. The daily intake of a vitamin or mineral that meets the needs of most healthy adults. UK labels show micronutrients as a percentage of NRV.
Most don't. MyFitnessPal, Lose It! and generic calorie counters typically track only the seven nutrients on the back-of-pack label. A few apps, including ours, track vitamins and minerals against UK NRVs as a Pro feature.
Log a week,
see the gaps,
take them to your GP.
Free download. Pro at £3.99 a month or £34.99 a year for the full 14 vitamins and 13 minerals against UK NRV, weekly summary and the AI Coach.
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