[Bonny]

Great replies all round!  Yeah i think that you'll find the high daily recommended amounts come from the dairy industry not actual studies; if they set it high people freak out that their not getting enough which makes them consume more dairy 'win' for the dairy industry (not farmers just industry; big difference).  But eating a wide variety of plants etc. will solve a lot of issue and fill in most nutritional gaps.  You can't eat just cheese burgers and get all your nutrition nor can you just eat potatoes and get all your body requires to operate at it's best.   Plus at SJoe said there are plenty other vitamin/minerals/other you gain from eating the whole fruit/veg and it's the synergy of these things that really make them powerful for example when 'they' say you must take iron with vitamin C for absorption well guess what mother nature/universe/god whatever your thing is has already worked that out when it created your beautiful fruits and vegetables.  Yes oranges do contain iron and calcium along with heaps of other stuff.