Vitamin A Overview
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in vision; immune functions; maintenance and development of healthy skin, hair and mucous membranes; growth and development; and reproduction. By consuming foods off the vitamin A rich foods list it is hoped that you will be able to get an adequate supply of this vitamin without the need of supplementation.
Retinol is the other term for vitamin A that occurs as retinyl palmitate, which is a primarily a fat compound. This compound is converted by the body into three metabolically active forms of the vitamin: retinal, retinol and retinoic acid.
It aids in stimulating several immune system activities that is known to enhance the function of white blood cells, have anti-viral activity, and increases the antibodies response to antigens. It is also essential for normal growth and development of cells.
Vitamin A Rich Foods
Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins. Free retinol is not primarily found in vitamin A rich foods. As a precursor and storage form of retinol, which is retinyl palmitate, is found in foods from animals while carotenoids are some of the precursors for vitamin A that are found in plants. These include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin, and others. Green vegetables contain significant amount of carotenoids although its pigment is masked by chlorophyll, a green pigment found in plants. Traces amounts of carotenoids are also found in orange and yellow vegetables.
Vitamin A Rich Foods List
| Vitamin A Rich Foods | SERVING | AMOUNT OF VITAMIN A (IU) |
| 2% fat milk (vitamin A added) | 8 fl-oz | 447 |
| Apricots | 1 medium | 914.20 |
| Asparagus, boiled | 1 cup | 970.20 |
| Basil, dried, ground | 2 tsp. | 281.24 |
| Bell peppers, red, raw, slices | 1 cup | 5244.00 |
| Broccoli, steamed | 1 cup | 2280.72 |
| Brussels sprouts, boiled | 1 cup | 1121.64 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp. | 323 |
| Cabbage, shredded, boiled | 1 cup | 198.00 |
| Calf’s liver, braised | 4 oz-wt | 30485.26 |
| Cantaloupe, cubes | 1 cup | 5158.40 |
| Carrots, raw | 1 cup | 34317.40 |
| Cayenne pepper, dried | 2 tsp. | 1470.24 |
| Celery, raw | 1 cup | 160.80 |
| Chili pepper, dried | 2 tsp. | 531.60 |
| Collard greens, boiled | 1 cup | 5945.10 |
| Egg | 1 large | 303 |
| Fortified breakfast cereals | 1 serving | 500-767 |
| Grapefruit | ½ cup | 318.57 |
| Green beans, boiled | 1 cup | 832.50 |
| Green peas, boiled | 1 cup | 955.20 |
| Kale, cooked | ½ cup | 1,475 |
| Mango | 1 medium | 263 |
| Mustard greens, boiled | 1 cup | 4243.40 |
| Oranges | 1 medium | 268.55 |
| Parsley, fresh | 2 tbsp. | 631.80 |
| Plum | 1 medium | 213.18 |
| Prunes | ¼ up | 844.48 |
| Romaine lettuce | 2 cups | 2912.00 |
| Spinach, boiled | 1 cup | 18865.80 |
| Spinach, cooked | ½ cup | 1,572 |
| Squash, butternut | ½ cup | 1,907 |
| Summer squash, cooked, slices | 1 cup | 516.60 |
| Sweet potato, baked, with skin | 1 medium | 13107.70 |
| Sweet potato, canned | ½ cup | 1,848 |
| Swiss chard, boiled | 1 cup | 5493.25 |
| Tomato, ripe | 1 cup | 1121.40 |
| Turnip greens, cooked | 1 cup | 7917.12 |
| Watermelon, diced | 1 cup | 556.32 |
| Whole milk | 8 fl-oz | 227 |
| Winter squash, baked, cubes | 1 cup | 7291.85 |