The New Complete Book of Food

xiii The New Complete Book of Food

Age (Years) Pantothenic acid (mg) Biotin (mcg) Choline (mg)

Females

19 –24 5 30 425

25–50 5 30 425

51–70 5 30 425

71+ 5 30 425

Major Minerals

Recommended Dietary Allowances For Healthy Adults (2006)

Age Calcium Phosphorus Magnesium Iron Zinc Iodine Selenium

(Years) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)

Males

19 –30 1,000 700 400 8 11 150 55

31–50 1,000 700 420 8 11 150 55

51–70 1,200 700 420 8 11 150 55

71+ 1,200 700 420 8 11 150 55

Females

19 –30 1,000 700 310 18 8 150 55

31–50 1,000 700 320 18 8 150 55

51–70 1,000/1,500* 700 320 8 8 150 55

71+ 1,000/1,500* 700 320 8 8 150 55

* The higher figure is for women taking postmenopausal estrogen supplements.

Source: Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academies of Science.

Available online. UR L: w w w.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/21/372/0.pdf.

Knowing the most nutritious way to serve this food can improve the quality of your meals. For

example, the proteins in beans are limited in several amino acids abundant in grains. And vice

versa. Serving beans and grains together “completes” their proteins, a clear nutritional bonus.

If you have a medical problem or are on a special diet, you should know about diets that

may restrict or exclude this food. Remember: this list is only a guide. For more detailed personal

advice, always check with your doctor.

Shopping smart requires you to pick the freshest, safest products when buying this

food. You already know the basics (e.g., avoid yellowed lettuce). Here’s the chemistry (e.g.,

as lettuce ages, its green chlorophyll fades, allowing its yellow carotenoid pigments to

show through).

At home, your challenge is to keep food fresh. Some foods need to be refrigerated, oth-

ers can be safely stashed in any cool, dry cabinet. Some require more than one method. Take