If you’ve ever wondered how much of any specific nutrient you should include in your diet, check out this daily nutrient calculator offered by the USDA.

Just enter your details and the results will provide daily nutrient recommendations based on the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) by age and gender. From there, you can go to the food composition database and learn which foods offer the nutrients you want.

For example, everyone seems to be talking about how we don’t get enough magnesium. Based on my personal calculator, I need around 350 mg a day. The food database tells me that great plant-based sources are:

• pumpkin seeds (1/4 cup = 162 mg)
• black beans (1 cup cooked = 91 mg)
• corn (½ cup cooked = 50 mg)
• spaghetti (1 cup cooked = 56 mg)
• spinach (½ cup cooked = 65 mg).

That’s just part of what I may eat in a day, so you can see I get more than enough magnesium. There is no need for me to take a supplement.

Check it out for yourself and see how you stack up.

And please, if you have specific health or medical conditions, consult a healthcare professional to discuss your results and nutrient requirements.