Confused about vitamins and minerals - Diet & Nutrition Message Board

02-17-2004, 05:44 PM

Ok, I'm am trying to get a really healthy diet together, so I get the right amount of vitamins, minerals, amino acids etc. but the problem I have is the healthier the food, the more vitamins and minerals it has obviously. So I am exceeding the RDA in some vitamins and minerals just by eating an apple, a carrot, 500ml milk, an egg and a banana! Now I know it's OK to go over the RDA for a lot of them, but I've already reached the RDA for copper, and it's bad for you to have too much more.
So how on earth can you have a healthy, balanced diet without exceeding toxic and/or dangerous levels for some of these?

Thanks

scribbles · 02-18-2004, 12:01 AM

What are the food culprits that are pushing you toward the toxic level for vitamin/mineral X?

The RDAs are recommended averages, set to meet the nutritional requirements of almost all healthy individuals. It's possible you could be an outlier. Usually, it's difficult to overdose on dietary sources of vitamins and minerals, unless, for example, certain foods/food groups are favoured, and consequently not only are more nutrients taken in (though not necessarily all absorbed because the percentage of absorption for any nutrient can be influenced by many factors), but also more calories.

Generally, if you don't have a disorder that affects copper metabolism, copper toxicity is pretty rare. This is why the RDA for adults is .9 mg/d, but the tolerable upper limit is 10 mg/d. Most sources of copper have less than 1 mg per serving (except liver).