Nutritional catchphrases are printed on food labels, medicines, and vitamin supplements. But the precise meaning of these terms can be a little baffling. Review these health and nutritional definitions.

Bioavailability refers to the amount of nutrients contained in food or supplement that the body actually can absorb or the availability of nutrients the body can receive.

Daily Values or DVs are printed on the Nutrition Facts panel of a food label. Designed to provide consumers with a quick reference of nutrients and ingredients, information includes the Food and Drug Administration’s recommendations of the average dietary needs. Although the information details information based on the "typical" consumer, it varies based on individual's gender, age and weight.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses “daily values” to calculate and compare the recommended daily intake of the amount of nutrients contained in a single serving size.
For instance, a food with a Daily Value of 20 percent fat offers 20 percent of the day’s daily requirement. If a bowl of cereal contains 240 milligrams of sodium and the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of sodium is 2,400 milligrams, the cereal represents 10 percent of the daily value.

Nutritional fact: Ten food components of daily values are required on food labels. The other 22 food components are optional.

Essential Nutrients -- are nutritional substances the body cannot live without. They play a vital role in one’s diet because without them the body is susceptible to deficiency and health condition that can lead to a chronic illness. Essential nutrients include vitamins, minerals, certain fats and amino acids. These nutritional elements are diet vital for maintaining health and supporting the metabolic system.