Skip to main content

Get Back to Healthful Eating With the Help of the DRI Calculator!

Posted by the Food and Nutrition Information Center staff, National Agricultural Library in Research and Science
Sep 03, 2019
Green calculator with green apples and measure tape on white background
Image of green calculator with green apples and measure tape on white background.

What better time to get back to healthful eating than right now? As summer ends and before the holiday season begins, it’s a good time to take account of your goals and get to know your nutrient recommendations. Have you often wondered how to relate the nutrients listed on food labels to your personal nutrient recommendations?

The DRI Calculator for Healthcare Professionals, an interactive website hosted by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC), is a valuable tool for those who want to learn their daily calorie and nutrient recommendations based on their body size, gender and activity level. Once you determine your calorie and nutrient recommendations, FNIC’s DRI Calculator links to fact sheets for each recommended nutrient and to MyPlate.gov resources so you can start planning your meals and eating healthfully.

Good news! The DRI Calculator has recently been updated with the latest nutrient recommendations for sodium and potassium, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division. Now that you know how many calories and which nutrients are right for you, you can learn more about which foods can help you meet your personal goals by checking out the many food and nutrition-related resources for you and your family available on the FNIC website.

Category/Topic: Research and Science