Vitamins are essential nutrients for the body to function properly and perform all its functions effectively. Vitamin A is one of the most important due to its multiple health benefits. One of them is its antioxidant action, which allows it to combat the effect of free radicals in the body to prevent cellular aging and some types of cancer such as breast and colon cancer.
Consuming vitamin A through food is very important to prevent pathologies, as this substance strengthens the immune system, allowing the body to defend itself against bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms effectively. Depending on its origin, vitamin A can be known by two different names: retinol, derived from animal protein, and beta-carotene, vitamin A found in orange and red vegetables. Maintaining a regular intake of this vitamin is essential for eye health, strengthening bones, maintaining adequate sperm production, preventing glaucoma, and strengthening brittle nails and hair. Incorporating this nutrient into your diet is very easy. Keep reading this FastlyHealarticle and know which foods are rich in vitamin A.
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Animal proteins with more vitamin A
Turkey pate
Vitamin A of animal origin can be found in many proteins, such as chicken eggs. Still, it is more abundant in the liver of animals, so pâté is one of the foods rich in vitamin A that stands out from the rest, so much so that the liver of a duck, if it is steamed, can offer up to 1507% DV of vitamin A per 100 grams.
Dairy products
Milk is another animal protein rich in retinol. However, it is recommended to prefer fortified skimmed milk at consumption since it offers a more significant amount of this nutrient than whole milk.
Dairy derivatives such as cheese or yogurt are also rich in vitamin A, but they do not offer as much concentration of this vitamin as whole milk or skimmed milk. Butter can offer 684 mg of vitamin A per 100 grams, which is equivalent to 76% of the recommended daily amount of this nutrient.
Eggs and bluefish
Eggs, specifically the yolk, are very rich in vitamin A, especially when boiled: 100 grams of chicken eggs are equivalent to 140 mg of vitamin A, 16% of the suggested daily amount.
Likewise, salmon, tuna, canned sardines, and anchovies stand out among the fish that exceptionally offer this nutrient.
Fruits with vitamin A
Cantaloupe
It may be the fruit that contains the most vitamin A, to the point that just by consuming 100 grams of melon, we will be providing our body with 3,382 IU of said nutrient. Eating a cup of cantaloupe chunks can provide up to 5,986 IU, equivalent to 120% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA).
Halbert
As rich in vitamin A as they are healthy and delicious. When consuming apricots for their vitamin contribution, it is preferable to eat them dry since 100 grams of this fruit will provide 3,604 IU of vitamin A, equivalent to 72% of the RDA. You can incorporate dried apricots into your diet by eating them at snack time.
Mango and papaya
Two other excellent fruits were rich in vitamin A. The first can provide 38 mg per 100 grams, while the second offers 55 mg.
Vegetables rich in vitamin A
Carrot
Its color gives it away, and is that the carrot is orange thanks to its high content of beta-carotene, a substance that in the body is transformed into vitamin A. The carrot is famous for its incredible power to take care of eye health and prevent diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and blindness. In addition, this vegetable rich in vitamin A offers to protect the skin from the sun’s rays, so if you increase its consumption two weeks before going to the beach, you can get a very healthy tan. One medium carrot frees 93% of the RDA for vitamin A.
The pumpkin
About 100 grams of pumpkin is equal to 450 mg of beta-carotene. Consuming pumpkin is very beneficial for health due to the antioxidant power attributed to its high content of vitamin A. This vegetable helps purify the body of toxins and increases the body’s defenses to prevent contagion with viruses and bacteria. When buying a pumpkin, prefer the reddish one since it is the modality that offers the highest amount of vitamin A.
Sweet potato or sweet potato
It is the same as pumpkin, the more intense its color, the more vitamin A it contains. This vegetable is one of the best you can include in your diet because it is low on the glycemic index and is absorbed slowly, so despite being a carbohydrate, it will not raise blood sugar levels. You can get up to 19,200 IU of vitamin D in 100 grams of sweet potato: 385% of the RDA!
Green leafy vegetables
They are the perfect source of vitamin A when you also want to eat a balanced, healthy diet rich in a wide variety of nutrients. Most of the essential vitamins that the body needs are concentrated in green leafy vegetables, which is why medical specialists recommend increasing the consumption of watercress, broccoli, spinach, and chard when you want to effectively satiate your appetite, eat low in calories and eat a diet rich in natural antioxidants.
Among the vegetables with more vitamin A, kale stands out, which can offer up to 15,700 IU of vitamin A per 10 grams, equivalent to 308% of the recommended daily amount. Kale is followed by turnip, another of the foods rich in vitamin A that can provide 232% of the RDA per 10 grams. Both turnip and kale can easily be incorporated into broths and salads.
Other foods rich in vitamin A
- Dried herbs like parsley and basil that you can use to flavor your meals or flavor your soups.
- Condiments such as cayenne pepper, paprika, or chili powder, are ideal for seasoning meats and stews.
- Red pepper is another food rich in vitamin A, but it also offers vitamin C, so its antioxidant effect is much more powerful.
- Green beans and kidney beans are very versatile legumes rich in vitamin A.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.