Is RDA the same as NRV?

In December 2014 a new European regulation came into effect which changed the way which nutritional information should be displayed on food products in relation to vitamins and minerals. 18 months down the line many people still don't know about the change and are confused as to where the RDA they used to look at has gone.

You will still see the term RDA used e.g. women are recommended to consume 2,000 calories and men 2,500 calories per day. RDAs extend across the main macronutrients including fat, carbohydrates and protein as well as salt and fluids.

What’s the difference between RDA and NRV?

RDA’s (Recommended Daily Allowance) have now changed to NRV’s (Nutrient Reference Values). Instead of 100% RDA, you will now see 100% NRV. The values for RDA and NRV’s are exactly the same - NRV is a straight replace of RDA.

What does NRV actually mean?

NRVs (Nutrient Reference Values) are a set of recommendations for nutritional intake based on currently available scientific knowledge. They state the level of intake of essential nutrients considered to be adequate to meet the known nutritional needs of practically all healthy people for the prevention of deficiencies, i.e the amount of vitamins and minerals you need to be consuming to prevent becoming ill.

Current (May 2016) Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) for vitamins and minerals as set in the EU can be seen below:

Vitamins

Minerals