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Dairy Spot: The Mid-Atlantic Spot for Dairy

Ask the Dietitian Archives:

  • June 2010
    Should chocolate milk be subjected to the “sugar tax” proposed on sugar-sweetened beverages?
  • May 2010
    What is the best/safest way for taking milk with us
  • April 2010
    How can I tell if my cheese is vegetarian?
  • March 2010:
    Can dairy foods can cause or aggravate autism in children?
  • February 2010:
    Do sugary drinks like chocolate milk really fuel weight gain?
  • January 2010:
    Are there any foods that can help me get rid of a puffy midsection
  • December 2009:
    Should I eliminate saturated fats from my diet?
  • November 2009:
    What's a good way to gain weight if you're underweight? Should I switch from lowfat dairy to whole milk products?
  • October 2009:
    Recently the American Heart Association stated that Americans are eating too much sugar and recommended that people cut down. Does that include dairy products, too?
  • September 2009:
    How can I, as a parent, be involved in this movement to help kids in her school eat better?
  • August 2009:
    Is frozen yogurt healthier than ice cream?
  • July 2009:
    What are sterols and what do they do?
  • June 2009:
    Is it safe to feed your family raw milk?
  • May 2009:
    What is the dairy industry doing to help support Mrs. Obama’s agenda for a more nutritious and sustainable food supply?
  • April 2009:
    Can eating at home also contribute to weight gain?
  • March 2009:
    Are natural trans-fats as unhealthy as man-made trans-fats?
  • Febraury 2009:
    Contaminated milk and milk formulas
  • January 2009:
    Is Greek yogurt nutritionally different from regular yogurt?
  • December 2008:
    Kids and vitamin D
  • November 2008:
    Where can I find kid-friendly, healthy snacks in my rush between work and sports practice?
  • October 2008:
    What does the Daily Value represent on my yogurt’s nutrition label?
  • September 2008:
    Isn’t diet and exercise the best way to promote heart health?
  • August 2008:
    Healthy choices from fast-food menus?
  • July 2008:
    Body detoxification
  • June 2008:
    Is it possible to eat well without breaking the bank?
  • May 2008:
    "Downed" cows
  • April 2008:
    Are there healthier espresso options?
  • March 2008:
    “Deceptively Delicious”
  • February 2008:
    What does "nutrient-rich" mean?
  • January 2008:
    Raw milk vs. pasteurized milk
  • December 2007:
    The dairy industry’s involvement in eating “local”
  • November 2007:
    E. coli and dairy foods
  • October 2007:
    School lunches vs. packed lunches
  • September 2007:
    Fat-free half-and-half
  • August 2007:
    Milk’s impact on teeth
  • July 2007:
    Dealing with lactose intolerance
  • June 2007:
    The relationship between calcium and heart disease
  • May 2007:
    Mothers’ influences on daughter’s eating habits
  • April 2007:
    “Extreme eating” at restaurants
  • March 2007:
    The validity of industry-sponsored dairy studies
  • February 2007:
    What is cloned milk and is it safe?
  • January 2007:
    Cholesterol guidelines for children



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    Ask the Dietitian

    By Althea Zanecosky, MS, RD, LDN
    Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association





    October 2008


    Q: The label on my yogurt says that one cup supplies 40 percent of the Daily Value for calcium. What does Daily Value mean?

    A: The nutrition label indicates that one cup of yogurt has 400 milligrams of calcium, or 40 percent of the Daily Value for calcium, which is 1,000 milligrams.

    Nutrition information, including product labels, can be confusing! There are RDAs, Daily Values and DRIs.  All three are part of a system of nutrition recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

    NAS established the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) during World War II to investigate issues of nutrition that might "affect national defense."  NAS formed a committee to set recommendations for a standard daily allowance for each essential nutrient. This set of 1941 guidelines, called Recommended Dietary Allowances, was meant to provide superior nutrition for civilians and military personnel. The Food and Nutrition Board revises the RDAs every five years.

    Then in the early 1950s, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) added a new set of guidelines that also included the number of servings from each food group in order to make it easier for people to receive their RDAs of each nutrient.

    The Daily Value (DV) is based on the RDAs and is used for food product nutrition labels. Current food labels must list the “Percent Daily Value" for calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C in a standard serving; other nutrients are optional.

    The United States and Canada use the RDA and DV systems. They are intended for the public and health professionals to:

    • Composition of diets for schools, prisons, hospitals or nursing homes
    • Industries developing new food stuffs
    • Healthcare policy makers and public health officials

    The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) was introduced in 1997 in order to broaden the existing guidelines already established by the RDAs.  DRIs are made up of the following:

    • Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) - Expected to satisfy the needs of 50 percent of the people in that age group.
    • Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) - The daily dietary intake level of a nutrient considered sufficient to meet the requirements of nearly all (97 percent to 98 percent) healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group.
    • Adequate Intake (AI) - Where no RDA has been established, the amount established is somewhat less firmly believed to be adequate for everyone in the demographic group.
    • Tolerable upper intake levels (UL) - To caution against excessive intake of nutrients (like vitamin D) that can be harmful in large amounts.

    DRIs are not currently used in nutrition labeling.

    While most RDAs and DRIs vary by age and gender, the Daily Value is a single number, simplified for use on labels. The RDA for calcium for adults ages 19 to 50 is 1,000 milligrams, the same as the Daily Value. The RDA is 1,200 milligrams for those 51 and older, and 1,300 for children 9 to 18. Thus, if you are older than 50, the yogurt provides only about one-third of your daily calcium needs, not 40 percent as the label says. Still, the "Percent Daily Value" gives you a ballpark idea of what you’re consuming.