The health-boosting vitamin we shouldn't be missing
From helping us to have great skin, maintaining eye health, treating acne, and supporting the immune system, vitamin A is a powerhouse for our body.
It's a fat-soluble essential vitamin, one our systems cannot produce alone, meaning you can only get it onboard by eating foods that contain it or applying it topically to the skin.
Luckily, it's readily available through many animal and plant-based foods. Here's a few ways to grab your daily dose.
Which foods contain vitamin A?
The two main forms of vitamin A in the human diet are preformed vitamin A (retinol, retinyl esters), and provitamin A carotenoids such as beta-carotene that are converted to retinol.
Preformed vitamin A comes from animal products, fortified foods, and vitamin supplements, where as carotenoids are found naturally in plant foods.
Many breakfast cereals, juices, dairy products, and other foods are fortified with retinol (preformed vitamin A). Lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as some supplements, contain beta-carotene.
- Leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli
- Orange and yellow vegetables like carrots, sweet potato and pumpkin
- Tomatoes
- Red bell pepper
- Cantaloupe, mango
- Beef liver
- Fish oils
- Milk
- Eggs
- Fortified foods
There are other types of carotenoids found in foods that are not converted to vitamin A, but have great health-promoting properties as well.