20 Vitamin A-rich foods to put on your plate today

Vitamin A, also known as retinol, plays an essential role in healthy eyesight, strengthening the immune system, reproductive functions and the growth of various organs, including teeth, skin and hair.

By stimulating collagen production, acting in cell renewal and having antioxidant properties, this vitamin offers benefits in the fight against acne and premature aging, being widely used in cosmetic products.

In addition, due to its ability to mitigate the damage caused by free radicals, which oxidize cellular DNA, vitamin A plays an important role in fighting various types of cancer.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin A is 900 micrograms (mcg) for men, 700 mcg for women, and 300 to 600 mcg for children and adolescents. Find out how you can get it from food:

10 foods of animal origin rich in vitamin A

Vitamin A itself is only found in animal foods such as liver, fish oil and butter, which are listed below. If you follow a vegan diet, be aware that it is possible to obtain precursors of this vitamin from vegetables, which are listed in the next topic.

Food order was defined according to the percentage of the recommended daily intake (RD) provided by an average serving of food. That way, you can more easily calculate what you need to put on your plate to maintain healthy levels of this nutrient.

1. Beef Liver Steak: A medium serving provides 713% of the RD (6,421 mcg);
2. Cod Liver Oil: 1 teaspoon provides 150% of the RD (1,350 mcg);
3. Salmon: half a fillet provides 25% of the DR (229 mcg);
4. Tuna: a quarter of the can provides 24% of the DR (214 mcg);
5. Goat cheese: one slice provides 13% of the DR (115 mcg);
6. Butter: one tablespoon provides 11% of the RD (97 mcg);
7. Cheddar cheese: one slice provides 10% of the RD (92 mcg);
8. Minas cheese: one slice provides 8.5% of the DR (80 mcg);
9. Boiled Eggs: One large unit provides 8% of the DR (74 mcg);
10. Cream cheese: one tablespoon provides 5% of the DR (45 mcg);

In general, the foods on this list are high in calories, so it’s interesting to have a balance between them and the plant-based options below.

10 plant-based foods rich in provitamin A

Although foods of plant origin do not provide ready-made vitamin A, they are rich in carotenoids such as alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which are known as provitamin A. When we ingest these substances through food, our body is able to transform them into vitamin A itself.

However, an estimated 45% of the population has a genetic mutation that significantly reduces the ability to convert these precursor carotenoids into vitamin A itself (1, 2). Thus, for these people, eating only plant foods may not be enough to maintain the levels of this vitamin in the body.

The order of the foods in the list was defined according to the percentage of the recommended daily intake (RD) provided by an average portion, always considering an organism fully capable of transforming provitamin A into vitamin A:

1. Boiled Sweet Potato: One cup provides 204% of the DR (1,836 mcg);
2. Squash: One cup provides 127% of the DR (1,144 mcg);
3. Boiled Cabbage: One cup provides 98% of the DR (885 mcg);
4. Kale butter: one cup provides 80% of the DR (722 mcg);
5. Raw carrots: one medium unit provides 64% of the DR (577 mcg);
6. Cooked carrots: one medium unit provides 44% of the DR (392 mcg);
7. Red Pepper: One large unit provides 29% of the DR (257 mcg);
8. Mango: a medium unit provides 20% of the DR (181 mcg);
9. Cantaloupe Melon: A large slice provides 19% of the DR (172 mcg);
10. Grapefruit: a medium unit provides 16% of the DR (143 mcg);

Remember: organisms that have the genetic mutation will obtain much smaller amounts of vitamin A from these foods, and it is necessary to obtain this nutrient from other sources.

Vitamin A in the right amount

Vitamin A insufficiency and deficiency can cause a number of problems, such as hair loss, skin lesions, dry eyes, night blindness and low immunity. However, excess of this vitamin can also be harmful to health, causing dry skin, bone and joint pain and dizziness.

Therefore, before adopting radical changes in your diet or starting vitamin A supplementation, it is always recommended to seek professional guidance.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.