Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin, hair, and immune system function, as well as bone growth and reproduction. It can be found in animal products, fortified products, and dark-colored fruits and vegetables. Daily requirements vary by gender and life stage.
Vitamin A is very important and helps with the formation and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. It helps regulate the immune system and might help infection-fighting white blood cells work more effectively. This vitamin is also needed in essential body functions, such as bone growth, tooth development, and reproduction. One of the usable forms of the vitamin is retinol, which is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for proper vision and bone development. There are many foods that contain vitamin A, including animal products, fortified products, and dark-colored fruits and vegetables.
Many animal products are common foods that contain vitamin A. They include whole eggs, liver, and dairy products. Cow liver generally has the highest amount of vitamin A, compared to other types of animal livers, such as chicken livers. Dairy products with this vitamin include whole milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream, and cow’s milk tends to have more vitamin A than goat’s or soy milk.
Fortified products, such as cereals, are other types of foods that contain vitamin A. People can receive this nutrient by incorporating whole grain cereals, oatmeal, and fortified bread into their daily diets. Vegetarians and vegans who generally do not eat animal products can incorporate more fortified products to meet the daily requirements for the nutrients provided by this vitamin.
One of the easiest ways to ensure your intake of foods that contain vitamin A is by eating plenty of dark-colored vegetables and fruits. Some foods that have very high amounts of vitamin A are sweet potatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, spinach, and kale. Fruits high in vitamin A include apricots, mangoes, melons, cherries, and many types of berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Apples also contain high amounts of this nutrient, but the skin should also be eaten.
When planning meals with foods that contain vitamin A, you generally need to incorporate all the different types of food categories. For example, one should plan to eat a fortified cereal or toast with berries for breakfast, along with a glass of milk. This type of meal planning provides vitamin A as part of a well-balanced diet.
Daily vitamin requirements are generally measured in international units (IU). Adult men should consume a minimum of 3,000 IU of vitamin A per day, adult women should consume at least 2,333 IU, pregnant women should consume a minimum of 2,500 IU, and lactating women should consume at least 4,000 IU. These requirements can be easy to meet, because one large carrot is estimated to contain more than 10,000 IU of vitamin A.
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