‘Vitamin A’ is an important antioxidant that is essential in building a healthy immune system. Eating a healthy balanced diet that includes foods with vitamin A is essential for the proper functioning of the body. In case of deficiency, Vitamin A may need to be supplemented.
Vitamin A (1) is extremely important for good vision too. It can be classified into 2 types – “retinoid” which are sourced from animal products and “Beta-carotene” which is sourced from plants.
Foods with Vitamin A
Let's have a look at the
selected vitamin A foods which are beneficial for us,
1. Carrots:
While thinking of foods
with Vitamin A, one
of the main foods that come to mind is the carrot. Filled with beta-carotene,
even half a cup of these orange/red carrots fulfills the daily requirement of Vitamin
A.
2. Cod Liver Oil:
Fish liver oil, also known as cod liver oil (2), is amongst the best sources of retinoids. The specialty of cod liver oil is that it also contains a high content of Vitamin A. A single spoon of cod liver oil is sufficient and contains 90% of the daily value.
3. Sweet Potato:
Another excellent vitamin A food with high beta-carotene
is sweet potato. A single baked sweet potato contains as high as 1403 mcg
of Vitamin A which implies 561% of the daily value. Being rich in fiber, sweet
potatoes also contain potassium, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C.
Broccoli:
Although very popularly disliked
by most children, Broccoli is a very healthy food with Vitamin A. Broccoli contains high Vitamin C and Vitamin
K. It is one of the few foods to contain sulforaphane which acts as a
defense against many types of cancers. Eating just half a cup of broccoli
provides 60 mcg of Vitamin A which fulfills 24% of the daily requirement.
Read: Which
of the following foods contains the most vitamin b12
4. Mango:
Mango, popular as the king
of fruits, it is not only delicious and mouth-watering but is also a very
nutritious fruit. Besides being high in Vitamin A, it also contains many antioxidants
and fiber. Consuming just one whole mango can fulfill a person's 24% daily
requirement of Vitamin A.
5. Spinach:
All green leafy vegetables
are a bundle of nutrition and so is spinach. Spinach, is especially, a
portion of vibrant food with Vitamin
A and iron. It also contains a generous amount of magnesium. Including
just half a cup of cooked spinach (3)
into the daily diet can provide one with 60% of the daily requirement of
Vitamin A.
6. Dried Apricots:
Among the dry fruits, dried apricots are the best to munch on while looking to improve Vitamin A
levels. Apart from this, it is also a rich source of fiber. Chewing on 10
halves of dried apricots can provide 63 mcg of Vitamin A which fulfills around
25% of the daily requirement.
7. Animal Livers:
For non-vegetarians, Vitamin A foods are plenty in animal livers. Animal meat like livers of lamb, beef, etc. is high in Vitamin
A, Vitamin B, Iron, Protein, and Foliate too. If you have a vitamin A deficiency then tries
to get this source from non-veg foods.
8. Black-eyed Peas:
Black-eyed peas, like all
pulses, are a high
source of proteins, iron, and fiber. Besides, black-eyed peas contain a
good amount of Vitamin A. Studies have shown that including just one cup of
boiled black-eyed peas (4)
in the daily diet can fulfill up to 26% of the daily need for Vitamin A.
Final Note
Plenty of foods with Vitamin A are available for vegetarians and non-vegetarians to fulfill the daily requirement of
Vitamin A. Being an extremely important nutrient for good eye health and proper
growth, we must ensure to include good proportions of Vitamin A in our daily
diet.
Read: What Foods Help with Vitamin D