Vitamin A in Foods

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is also known as Retinol and/or Carotenoids.  Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. Vitamin A promotes good vision, especially in low light. It may also be needed for reproduction and breast-feeding.


Retinol is an active form of vitamin A. It is also known as retinol because it produces the pigments in the retina of the eye. It is found in animal liver, whole milk, and some fortified foods.

Carotenoids are dark colored dyes found in plant foods that can turn into a form of vitamin A. One such carotenoid is beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by unstable substances called free radicals. Free radicals are believed to contribute to certain chronic diseases and play a role in the degenerative processes seen in aging.

What’s So Great About Beta-Carotene?

• Our bodies turn beta-carotene into vitamin A.

• Beta-carotene helps prevent certain cancers and eye diseases and makes our immune system strong.

We need Adequate Vitamin A for:

• Good vision

• Healthy skin

• Normal growth

• Preventing infection

(See other important roles of Vitamin A)

Foods Rich in Vitamin A and Beta Carotene (Provitamin A)

For Vegetarians	For Non-Vegetarians
Butter	Fish liver oil
Fruits (yellow like ripe mango, papaya)
Egg yolk
Margarine (fortified)
Vegetables  (dark, green, leafy) (yellow like carrots, squash)

 

Side Effects

Inadequate intake of Vitamin A (Vitamin A Deficiency) can make individual:

• More susceptible to infectious diseases and vision problems

Excessive intake/large doses of Vitamin A can:

• Cause individual to get sick

• Cause birth defects

• Cause acute vitamin A poisoning (usually occurs when an adult takes several hundred thousand IU); chronic vitamin A poisoning (may occur in adults who regularly take more than 25,000 IU a day) 

Babies and children are more sensitive and can become sick after taking smaller doses of vitamin A or vitamin A-containing products such as retinol (found in skin creams).

References:

Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.244 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

http://www.floridahealthfinder.gov/healthencyclopedia/health%20illustrated%20encyclopedia/1/002400.aspx Retrieved on April 18, 2011

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Documents/NE/WIC-NE-EdMaterials-VitaminA.pdf Retrieved on April 18, 2011