United States: FDA Daily Values
US FDA Daily Values — RDI for 27 vitamins and minerals, DRV for 10 macronutrients.
Putting a number in the "% Daily Value" column of a US Nutrition Facts label means being certain it is the figure the FDA actually set. This page lists every Daily Value in 21 CFR § 101.9, for all four population groups, and which nutrients have none at all.
What are FDA Daily Values?
A Daily Value is the reference amount the FDA uses to turn "how much is in this serving" into the percentage a shopper reads. Divide the amount in one serving by that nutrient's Daily Value, multiply by 100, and the result is its %DV.
The FDA keeps these reference amounts in two tables, and which table a nutrient sits in tells you where its number comes from:
- RDI (Reference Daily Intake) — vitamins and minerals. Fixed targets that do not move with how much you eat.
- DRV (Daily Reference Value) — macronutrients and other food components. Some are derived from a 2,000-calorie diet; others are fixed limits.
The FDA sets 27 Reference Daily Intakes for vitamins and minerals and 10 Daily Reference Values for macronutrients and other food components — 37 nutrients in total.
This page covers the United States only. For recommended intakes as a concept across regions, see Recommended Daily Intakes.
How do I read a % Daily Value?
The %DV says how much one serving contributes to a day's worth of that nutrient. The FDA's own rule of thumb is that 5% DV or less is a little of that nutrient and 20% DV or more is a lot.
Which direction is good depends on the nutrient. FDA's own guidance is to aim low for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, and high for dietary fiber, calcium, iron, potassium and vitamin D.
The 5%/20% reading is FDA consumer guidance, not part of 21 CFR 101.9. The Daily Values themselves are regulation; how to interpret them is advice.
Which vitamins and minerals have a Daily Value? (RDI)
Every vitamin and mineral in the table below, and no others. Each carries a figure for all four population groups. The values are set in 21 CFR § 101.9(c)(8)(iv), Table 1.
| Nutrient | Adults & children 4+ | Infants 0–12 months | Children 1–3 years | Pregnant & lactating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D | 20 mcg | 10 mcg | 15 mcg | 15 mcg |
| Calcium | 1,300 mg | 260 mg | 700 mg | 1,300 mg |
| Iron | 18 mg | 11 mg | 7 mg | 27 mg |
| Potassium | 4,700 mg | 700 mg | 3,000 mg | 5,100 mg |
| Vitamin A | 900 mcg RAE | 500 mcg RAE | 300 mcg RAE | 1,300 mcg RAE |
| Vitamin C | 90 mg | 50 mg | 15 mg | 120 mg |
| Vitamin E | 15 mg | 5 mg | 6 mg | 19 mg |
| Vitamin K | 120 mcg | 2.5 mcg | 30 mcg | 90 mcg |
| Thiamin | 1.2 mg | 0.3 mg | 0.5 mg | 1.4 mg |
| Riboflavin | 1.3 mg | 0.4 mg | 0.5 mg | 1.6 mg |
| Niacin | 16 mg NE | 4 mg NE | 6 mg NE | 18 mg NE |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.7 mg | 0.3 mg | 0.5 mg | 2 mg |
| Folate | 400 mcg DFE | 80 mcg DFE | 150 mcg DFE | 600 mcg DFE |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.4 mcg | 0.5 mcg | 0.9 mcg | 2.8 mcg |
| Biotin | 30 mcg | 6 mcg | 8 mcg | 35 mcg |
| Pantothenic Acid | 5 mg | 1.8 mg | 2 mg | 7 mg |
| Phosphorus | 1,250 mg | 275 mg | 460 mg | 1,250 mg |
| Iodine | 150 mcg | 130 mcg | 90 mcg | 290 mcg |
| Magnesium | 420 mg | 75 mg | 80 mg | 400 mg |
| Zinc | 11 mg | 3 mg | 3 mg | 13 mg |
| Selenium | 55 mcg | 20 mcg | 20 mcg | 70 mcg |
| Copper | 0.9 mg | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg | 1.3 mg |
| Manganese | 2.3 mg | 0.6 mg | 1.2 mg | 2.6 mg |
| Chromium | 35 mcg | 5.5 mcg | 11 mcg | 45 mcg |
| Molybdenum | 45 mcg | 3 mcg | 17 mcg | 50 mcg |
| Chloride | 2,300 mg | 570 mg | 1,500 mg | 2,300 mg |
| Choline | 550 mg | 150 mg | 200 mg | 550 mg |
There is no Daily Value for fluoride. The FDA did not establish one in 21 CFR 101.9, so fluoride cannot carry a %DV on a Nutrition Facts label — only the nutrients in the table above can.
What are the FDA Daily Values for macronutrients? (DRV)
Most of these have a Daily Value. Trans fat and total sugars do not, so they can never carry a %DV — only an amount.
In the table below "No DV" means the nutrient is listed for that group with no established value, while "—" means FDA sets none for that group at all. The two are different facts and are kept apart.
Eight of them are set in 21 CFR § 101.9(c)(9), Table 2. Trans fat and total sugars come from separate paragraphs — § 101.9(c)(2)(ii) and § 101.9(c)(6)(ii) — which is why they appear here but not in Table 2.
| Nutrient | Adults & children 4+ | Infants 0–12 months | Children 1–3 years | Pregnant & lactating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 78 g | 30 g | 39 g | 78 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g | — | 10 g | 20 g |
| Trans Fat | No DV | — | No DV | No DV |
| Cholesterol | 300 mg | — | 300 mg | 300 mg |
| Sodium | 2,300 mg | — | 1,500 mg | 2,300 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 275 g | 95 g | 150 g | 275 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 28 g | — | 14 g | 28 g |
| Total Sugars | No DV | — | No DV | No DV |
| Added Sugars | 50 g | — | 25 g | 50 g |
| Protein | 50 g | 11 g | 13 g | 71 g |
Every Daily Value in this table is set against the 2,000-calorie reference diet the label footnote names. That figure is a reference point for the label, not a recommendation for any individual — actual calorie needs vary with age, sex, height, weight and activity.
How are the numbers on a label rounded?
A label almost never prints the amount you measured. Two separate FDA rounding tables apply: one rounds the amount in grams or milligrams, another rounds the %DV.
The two tables round independently. A serving containing 0.4 g of fat is declared as "0 g". A vitamin or mineral's %DV steps in 2%, 5% or 10% increments, not by 1.
Each nutrient has its own rounding bands. The Daily Value calculator shows those bands per nutrient, along with the amount range behind every %DV a label can print.
Do the Daily Values change for children or during pregnancy?
Yes. The FDA sets four separate sets of Daily Values, and a product aimed at one of these groups uses that group's figures — 21 CFR § 101.9(j)(5) sets the separate provisions for foods for infants and for children 1 through 3.
| Group | Applies to |
|---|---|
| Adults and children 4 years and older | The default for general-audience products |
| Infants through 12 months | Foods labelled for infants |
| Children 1 through 3 years | Foods labelled for toddlers |
| Pregnant and lactating women | Foods labelled for pregnancy or lactation |
Calcium, for instance, is 1,300 mg for adults & children 4+ but 700 mg for children 1–3 years.
Seven nutrients have no infant Daily Value at all. The Daily Value calculator shows every nutrient's figures for all four groups.
Where is this written in the regulation?
- 21 CFR § 101.9 — Nutrition labeling of food — the full regulation
- § 101.9(c)(8)(iv) — Table 1, the RDI values
- § 101.9(c)(9) — Table 2, the DRV values
FDA guidance written for a general audience:
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
- Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label
- The Lows and Highs of Percent Daily Value — where the 5% / 20% reading comes from
Related concepts
- Nutrient — the kinds of nutrient and how each is measured
- Nutrition Fact — how nutrients appear on a finished label
- Serving Size — the amount every figure on the label is based on
- Recommended Daily Intakes — the concept beyond the US