I Tracked My Diet to Try to Get Vitamins From Food, Not Supplements

On average, I consumed about what I needed for each nutrient except calcium.

Allana Akhtar/Insider

Average Daily Fiber: 46g

I was happy to learn I ate nearly double the amount of fiber recommended for women each day, which is 21 to 25 grams, according to Mayo Clinic. 

Average Daily Potassium: 1,986mg

My potassium intake this week was a bit low, as the National Institutes of Health recommends women get 2,600 mg a day and I ate just below 2,000.

Average Daily Vitamin A: 318mg

I was eating more vitamin A than I needed, likely from the peppers and eggs I ate almost everyday. The NIH recommends women get 700 micrograms of vitamin A, which is one thousanth of a milligram — meaning I was getting 45,000% more of the nutrient than I needed.

Average Daily Vitamin C: 288mg

I again ate much more vitamin C this week than I needed to. The NIH recommends adult women get 75 mg of vitamin C, meaning I consumed more than 300% of what I needed. 

Average Daily Calcium: 48mg

My calcium intake was very low compared to the other nutrients I recorded. The NIH recommends adult women get 1,200 mg, so I only consumed 4% of what I needed. I could have eaten more dairy and spinach last week to bring my intake up. 

Average Daily Iron: 57mg 

I ate more iron than I needed to last week — the NIH recommends adult women get 18 mg and I consumed about triple that amount.