Certain vegetables and fruits, as well as animal products, are good sources of vitamin A. This includes kale, spinach, mango, and guava, as well as beef, chicken, fish, cheese, and eggs.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that
Getting adequate amounts from your diet should prevent the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency. While most people in developed countries get enough vitamin A from their diet, this deficiency is a leading cause of blindness in developing countries.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is
The RDA provides enough vitamin A for the vast majority of people. In fact, a daily value (DV) of
This article lists 20 animal and plant foods rich in sources of vitamin A (retinol), including preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, which convert to retinol in the body.
Vitamin A1, also known as retinol, is only found in animal-sourced foods, such as oily fish, liver, cheese, and butter.
Here are some of the best sources of vitamin A1.
1. Beef liver, cooked
3.5 ounces (oz), or 100 grams (g), contains 7,740 mcg of retinol, or
2. Lamb liver, cooked
3.5 oz (100 g) contains 7,780 mcg of retinol, or
3. Liver sausage (liverwurst)
3.5 oz (100 g) contains 8,310 mcg of retinol, or
4. Cod liver oil
1 tablespoon (tbsp), or 14 g, contains 4,080 mcg of retinol, or
5. King mackerel, cooked
3.5 oz (100 g) contains 252 mcg of retinol, or
6. Salmon, cooked
3.5 oz (100 g) contains 69 mcg of retinol, or
7. Bluefin tuna, cooked
3.5 oz (100 g) contains 757 mcg of retinol, or
8. Goose live pate, canned
1 tbsp (13 g) contains 130 mcg of retinol, or
9. Goat cheese
1 oz (28 g) contains 82 mcg of retinol, or
10. Butter
1 tbsp (14 g) contains 97 mcg of retinol, or
11. Limburger cheese
1 oz (28 g) contains 96 mcg of retinol, or
12. Cheddar cheese
1 oz (28 g) contains 74 mcg of retinol, or
13. Camembert cheese
1 oz (28 g) contains 68 mcg of retinol, or
14. Roquefort cheese
1 oz (28 g) contains 83 mcg of retinol, or
15. Eggs
One large (50 g) hard-boiled egg contains 75 mcg of retinol or
16. Trout, cooked
3.5 oz (100 g) contains 100 mcg of retinol, or
17. Clams, canned
3.5 oz (100 g) contains 101 mcg of retinol, or
18. Cream cheese
1 oz (28 g) contains 87 mcg of retinol, or
19. Oysters, canned
3.5 oz (100 g) contains 98 mcg of retinol, or
20. Whole milk
1 cup (237 milliliters) contains 78 mcg of retinol, or
Your body can produce vitamin A from carotenoids found in plants.
These carotenoids include beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, collectively known as provitamin A.
However, about
Depending on your genetics, the following vegetables might provide considerably less vitamin A than indicated.
1. Sweet potato, baked
1 cup (200 g) contains 1,920 mcg retinol activity equivalents (RAE), or
2. Butternut squash, baked
1 cup (205 g) contains 1,140 mcg RAE, or
3. Kale, cooked
1 cup (118 g) contains 172 mcg RAE, or
4. Collard greens, cooked
1 cup (190 g) contains 722 mcg RAE, or
5. Turnip greens, cooked
1 cup (144 g) contains 549 mcg RAE, or
6. Carrots, cooked
1 cup (155 g) contains 1,280 mcg RAE, or
7. Sweet red pepper, raw
1 large (164 g) sweet red pepper contains 257 mcg RAE, or
8. Swiss chard, cooked
1 cup (175 g) contains 536 mcg RAE, or
9. Spinach, cooked
1 cup (180 g) contains 943 mcg RAE, or
10. Romaine lettuce, raw
1 cup (47 g) contains 205 mcg RAE, or
Provitamin A is generally more abundant in vegetables than fruits.
However, a few types of fruit provide good amounts, as shown below.
1. Mango
1 cup (165 g) contains 89 mcg RAE, or
2. Cantaloupe
1 cup (160 g) contains 270 mcg RAE, or
3. Grapefruit
Half a grapefruit (154 g) contains 89 mcg RAE, or
4. Watermelon
1 cup (155 g) contains 43 mcg RAE, or
5. Papaya
1 cup (165 g) contains 78 mcg RAE, or
6. Apricot
Two apricots (70 g) contain 67 mcg RAE, or
7. Tangerine
One tangerine (109 g) contains 37 mcg RAE, or
8. Nectarine
One nectarine (140 g) contains 29 mcg RAE, or
9. Guava
Two guavas (110 g) contain 34 mcg RAE, or
10. Passion fruit
Two passion fruits (36 g) contain 23 mcg RAE, or
How can I increase my vitamin A?
You can easily meet your requirements for vitamin A by regularly eating some of the foods listed in this article. Many foods also contain added vitamin A, including cereals, margarine, and dairy products.
Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, it is more efficiently absorbed into the bloodstream when eaten with fat. Most animal-sourced foods rich in vitamin A are also high in fat, but the same doesn’t apply to most plant sources of provitamin A.
How do you increase vitamin A absorption?
You can improve your absorption of provitamin A from plant sources by adding a dash of oil to your salad.
However, as mentioned above, some people have a
Because of this, people following a vegetarian or vegan diet should take supplements or eat plenty of the fruits and vegetables listed above.
Fortunately, foods abundant in vitamin A are usually easy to come by, and most are an excellent addition to a healthy diet.
What are the symptoms of low vitamin A?
The
Vitamin A is a critical fat-soluble vitamin that helps maintain vision, body growth, immune function, and reproductive health. Eating enough foods containing vitamin A can help prevent deficiency.
Good sources of vitamin A include vegetables such as carrots and squash, fruits like apricots and watermelon, as well as animal products like beef, chicken, clams, and butter.