How to track vitamins and minerals against the UK NRV.
14 vitamins, 13 minerals, the percentage of NRV you actually hit on a typical day, and what the NHS says about the gaps UK adults most often have.
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 rolls it up across the day
You log foods (type, scan, or photo). We compute the running total against the NRV for all 14 vitamins and 13 minerals. The Insights view shows where you've consistently come up short over a week or month.
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.
Every food in the diary contributes a fraction of the daily NRV for each of these 27. Tap any one in the app for the running 7-day or 30-day picture.
Vitamins (14)
Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin C, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), vitamin B6, biotin (B7), folate (B9), vitamin B12, choline.
Minerals (13)
Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, iodine, chromium, molybdenum, potassium, chloride. Sodium is shown as salt elsewhere on UK labels.
The four NDNS keeps flagging.
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (OHID) finds the same shortfalls year after year. Track these first.
NHS recommends 10µg/day for adults Oct to Mar. Sunlight at UK latitudes isn't enough to make it in skin. Oily fish, fortified spreads and egg yolks help; a supplement covers it.
UK NRV 2.4µg/day. Found in animal products. Vegans need a B12 supplement or fortified foods. Older adults absorb less, also benefit from supplementation per NHS.
UK NRV 14.8mg/day for women 19 to 50. NDNS routinely finds shortfalls. Pair non-haem iron (lentils, leafy greens) with vitamin C to improve absorption.
UK NRV 300mg (men), 270mg (women). NDNS shows many UK adults consistently below NRV. Wholegrains, leafy greens, nuts, beans and pulses are good sources.
Three taps a day, not a spreadsheet.
The tracking is the easy part. The actionable signal is the week-long Insights view, not any single day's number.
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. NutraSafe surfaces these first when you've been short over a week.
No. Log the three main meals consistently and the week-long picture is reliable. Snacks help but aren't critical for spotting recurring shortfalls.
Take any persistent low to your GP. NHS guidance varies by nutrient. Vitamin D Oct to Mar is the one the NHS recommends most adults take as a supplement. Other supplements depend on bloods and your GP's read.
Accurate within the limits of the food database. We use UK label data where it exists and CoFID (the UK Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset, OHID) where it doesn't. Variation between batches and brands means any tracking app's micronutrient totals are reasonable estimates rather than lab-precise figures.
Track the food.
We track the 27 micronutrients.
Free download. NRV tracking for 14 vitamins and 13 minerals across day, week and month. Pro £3.99/month or £34.99/year for AI Coach, workouts, fasting and the deeper Insights.
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