How to track vitamins and minerals against the UK NRV.
How the NRV on UK labels works, which vitamins and minerals NutraSafe adds up as you log, and which ones UK adults most often run low on, by the national survey.
What the NRV means.
UK food labels show vitamin and mineral content as a percentage of the Nutrient Reference Value. The figures are set by the FSA under retained UK food law. They were formerly known as RDAs.
NRV is the daily figure for an adult
A reference for an average healthy adult. Not your personal target. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, very active, or have a documented deficiency, the NHS may set a different figure with your GP.
Percentage on the label is per-serving
UK labels show NRV as a percentage of the daily reference per serving size (or per 100g if declared that way). 30% on the back of a cereal pack means one bowl provides 30% of an adult's daily reference.
NutraSafe adds it up as you log
You log foods by typing or scanning a barcode, or on Pro by taking a photo. With Pro, NutraSafe adds up each vitamin and mineral and shows how it compares with the NRV on the days you log, for today, the last 7 days or the last 4 weeks.
NRV is different to the US RDA
The UK NRV is set by the FSA. The US Daily Value (formerly RDA) is set by the FDA. They differ for some nutrients (e.g. vitamin D, B12) due to different population-baseline studies. UK labels use the UK NRV.
What we track for you.
With Pro, NutraSafe adds these up from the foods you log. In the app, pick today, the last 7 days or the last 4 weeks, then tap one to see it.
Vitamins
Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), vitamin B6, biotin (B7), folate (B9) and vitamin B12. Choline and omega-3 are added up too.
Minerals
Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, iodine, chromium, molybdenum and potassium.
How to use it day to day.
Log what you eat, then look at the last 7 days or the last 4 weeks rather than one day's figures.
Frequently
asked.
From in-app feedback and supermarket-aisle conversations.
The Nutrient Reference Value, set by the FSA under retained EU Reg 1169/2011. The NRV is the daily reference figure for an average healthy adult. UK labels show vitamin and mineral content as a percentage of NRV.
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (OHID) most often flags vitamin D (Oct to Mar across the adult population), vitamin B12 (vegans and many older adults), iron (premenopausal women), magnesium and fibre.
No, but the totals only count what you log. A meal you don't log looks the same as a meal you didn't eat, so the more you log, the closer the figures are to what you actually ate.
No. Talk to your GP if you're worried. The NHS advises everyone to consider a daily 10µg vitamin D supplement in autumn and winter. Other supplements depend on blood tests and your GP.
They are estimates. We use the figures printed on UK labels where we have them, and CoFID (the UK Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset) where we don't. Batches and brands vary, so treat any app's vitamin and mineral totals as estimates, not lab figures.
Track vitamins and minerals in the same diary as your food.
It's free to download. With Pro you get vitamins and minerals, the AI Coach, suspected triggers from your reactions and a full workout app built in. Pro is £6.99/month or £40.99/year.
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