What is RNI (Recommend Nutrient Intake) how its related to us?

As a nutrition professional, I’ve always emphasized the importance of food quality, whole foods, and evidence-based eating. I rarely talk about basic nutrition guidelines because, frankly, they can be dry and technical. Back in university, one of my lecturers used to joke:
“If you ever meet a patient with insomnia, just read them the RNI Malaysia. They’ll fall asleep fast.”
It was funny then, and honestly, still funny now.

But recently, social media has been flooded with nutrition claims that make me realize — maybe it’s time we revisit some fundamentals.

I constantly hear things like:
“Have you eaten 20 oranges today? If not, you need this product.”
“To get enough of this nutrient from natural foods, you'd have to eat kilos of it.”

Statements like these may sound convincing to the general public, but to trained nutritionists, they're scientifically absurd. These claims come from people who clearly lack even the most basic nutrition knowledge.

So today, let’s talk about something simple but essential:
How much nutrient is too much, and how much is too little?

The Nutrition Curve: Why Balance Matters

Imagine a graph:

• X-axis: Nutrient intake (low to high)

• Y-axis: Health risk

On both extremes — deficiency on the left, toxicity on the right — the risks go up. This means that more nutrients are NOT always better. Moderation and balance matter.

Here are the key components nutrition experts look at:

EAR – Estimated Average Requirement

The amount of a nutrient that meets the needs of 50% of the population.
If your intake is below EAR, you’re at higher risk of deficiency.

RNI – Recommended Nutrient Intake

Meets the needs of 95% of the population.
This is the level most people should aim for.

AI – Adequate Intake

Used when there isn’t enough scientific data to establish an EAR.
It’s based on healthy people's eating patterns.

UL – Upper Intake Level

The maximum safe level.
Anything above this increases the risk of side effects or long-term harm.

Malaysia’s RNI reference can be found here: https://bit.ly/2CyE3mr
(If this looks boring, don’t worry — you can always consult a qualified nutritionist.)

Real-Life Examples: When “More” Becomes Unsafe

Example 1: Folic Acid for Pregnancy

Folic acid is crucial for fetal development, and most mothers take prenatal vitamins.
However, the Hong Kong Consumer Council recently found a prenatal multivitamin containing 1000 mcg of folic acid — the UL for pregnant women. Long-term excessive folic acid intake may increase the risk of autism in children.

News reference: https://bit.ly/2PORDWz

Example 2: Vitamin A Toxicity

Excessive intake of vitamin A or fish liver oil over time can lead to chronic toxicity.
Children are particularly vulnerable. This is why dosing matters — “more” is not safer.

Whole Foods vs. Single Extracts: Not the Same Thing

Some people believe that taking a supplement is equal to eating the actual food — but this is not true.

Eat an apple and you get:

• Fibre

• Natural vitamin A

• Fructose

• Pectin

• Phytochemicals

• Water and pulp
  These components work synergistically in ways supplements cannot replicate.

But when you take a single extracted compound, you remove the natural balance that protects your body from harm.

Example: Soluble Fibre Supplements

Soluble fibre is known for lowering cholesterol. But the soluble fibre added to “detox” or “colon cleansing” supplements is not the same as the fibre found naturally in foods.

In lab studies, rats fed high doses of inulin and FOS — common added fibres — developed gallbladder obstruction and liver cancer.
Would this happen in humans? We don’t know yet. More research is needed.

Research link: https://bit.ly/2PcP43D

This highlights a real concern: many supplements enter the market without long-term safety studies. Side effects often appear only years later.

So the question is:
Are you willing to be the lab rat?

Final Thoughts: Eat Real Food, Not Just Nutrients

Your body is designed to digest food — not isolated extracts.
Your teeth, tongue, and digestive system exist for a reason.

Eat balanced food.
Eat quality food.
Don’t rely on supplements to fix a poor diet.

Now you’ll understand why I emphasize food education so much — because whole foods, eaten wisely and consistently, are still the safest and most powerful “supplements” you'll ever have.