Vitamin Daily Value Calculator Formula

Understand the math behind the vitamin daily value calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.

Use the Vitamin Daily Value Calculator

Formulas Used

% Daily Value

pct_dv = (amount_in_food / daily_value) * 100

Remaining to Meet DV

remaining = daily_value - amount_in_food

Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
amount_in_foodVitamin Amount in Serving30
daily_valueDaily Value (DV)90

How It Works

How to Calculate Vitamin Daily Value

Formula

% DV = (Amount in Serving / Daily Value) x 100

Labeling Rules

  • 5% DV or less is considered LOW
  • 20% DV or more is considered HIGH

    • Key Daily Values (Adults)

  • Vitamin C: 90 mg
  • Vitamin D: 20 mcg
  • Vitamin A: 900 mcg
  • Vitamin B12: 2.4 mcg

    • Worked Example

    An orange provides 30 mg of Vitamin C.

    amount_in_food = 30daily_value = 90
    1. 01% DV: (30 / 90) x 100 = 33.3%.
    2. 02Remaining: 90 - 30 = 60 mg to meet daily value.
    3. 03One orange provides about a third of daily Vitamin C.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What does % Daily Value mean?

    It shows how much of the recommended daily intake one serving of food provides. It is based on a 2000-calorie diet for adults.

    Can I get too many vitamins from food?

    It is very rare to get toxic levels of vitamins from food alone. Toxicity risk comes mainly from supplements, particularly fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).

    Does cooking destroy vitamins?

    Some vitamins are heat-sensitive (especially Vitamin C and B vitamins). Boiling causes vitamin loss into cooking water. Steaming and microwaving preserve more vitamins.

    Ready to run the numbers?

    Open Vitamin Daily Value Calculator