Vitamin A: Which Foods Contain It

Your diet should not lack orange-colored fruits and vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin or papaya. They’re high in beta-carotenes, a true source of vitamin A.

Your diet should not be short of orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin or papaya. They are rich in beta-carotenes, a true source of vitamin A.

You can probably find plenty of foods that contain the vitamin in your fridge. Still, you should know how to spot them in order to use them to your advantage.

Vitamin A is an important nutrient for the body. One of its main functions is to maintain our visual function.

In this article you will find out which foods are particularly high in vitamin A and how to best consume them. So be sure to read on!

Properties of Vitamin A

Types of Vitamin A

According to the Nemours Foundation, the vitamin comes in two different forms: as retinol and as carotenes. The former comes from animal products, while the latter is vegetable in nature.

Its functions

As already mentioned, this nutrient is indispensable for the human organism due to its various functions. The American Academy of Family Physicians names the following:

• Function as a kind of supplier of substances necessary for the visual cycle to enable communication between the optic nerves and the brain
• Stimulates the immune system, which is used in the fight against infections
• Improve skin health

Problems with a lack of vitamin A.

If there is a deficiency in this nutrient, then various problems are conceivable. These include:

• Night blindness or difficulty seeing in the dark
• Impaired immune system, which can be particularly noticeable through infections of the hearing and urinary tract

Food rich in vitamin A.

The American Academy of Family Physicians lists the following foods that contain the vitamin in large quantities:

• Liver, especially from beef and pork
• Carrots, especially because of their beta-carotenes, which give them their typical color
• Sweet potatoes, which are also high in beta carotenes
• Some tropical fruits, such as melon, papaya and mango, whose characteristic is their orange color

We therefore recommend eating a fresh fruit salad with mango, papaya and melon for breakfast or dinner . If you want, you can also add carrots or other cooked vegetables. It is also a good idea to try a delicious recipe with liver for your next lunch.

Now that you’ve learned about the benefits of vitamin A, it’s important to include it in your diet. Your body will thank you.