Optimum Daily Allowances Explained

The Difference Between RDA and ODA?

Put quite simply, RDAs (Recommeded Daily Allowances) suggest the guidelines for intake of vitamins, minerals and trace metals as a minimum quantity. ODA are guidelines on the Optimal amounts of key vitamins, minerals and trace metals you should be taking each day.

A subtle, but vitally important difference.

Choosing ODA As A Reference

With minimal risk of developing certain conditions and diseases, the Optimum Daily Allowances (ODA) of nutrients can really help to point you in the right direction for the advantages that your health needs. Optimum Daily Allowances (ODA) are almost like a better version for your health than RDAs. These are similar though in that they are generally based upon Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI).

How Can I Best Achieve My ODAs?

To achieve the best health advantages from your foods, it is a great idea to use the figures stipulated by the Optimum Daily Allowances (ODA) that suggest higher values for the consumption of nutrients and prevention or reduction in the risk of the development of various conditions and diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, arterial damage, high levels of blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

RNI refers to the minimum amount of a nutrient that is required to prevent deficiency of that particular disease. Deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals can lead to poor health and certain conditions such as osteoporosis which is caused by a lack of calcium in the diet and scurvy which results as you fail to meet your body's requirements for vitamin C. rickets, beriberi and anaemia are other deficiency diseases which can be prevented through simply eating enough of the nutrients that counteract the heath issues caused and prevent the development of these conditions.

Or example, if your RDA for vitamin C is 60mg per day and the average intake is 100mg, by consuming a lot of fruit, for instance, you may increase your intake of this vitamin on a particular day to about 300mg. The optimal intake however lies somewhere between 1000 and 3000mg per day, obviously depending upon the individual in question.