Vitamin A food sources includes broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas, pumpkin, kales, mango, spinach, cantaloupe, red bell peppers, butternut squash, milk, dried apricots, and beef liver.
Do you know that dry eyes, hair loss, skin infection, and night blindness are the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency? From maintaining a healthy vision to boosting your immunity, vitamin A plays a significant role in improving your health. That is why health experts have revealed that your body needs vitamin A on a daily basis.
Vitamin A is one of the fat-soluble vitamins that promote body development in children. Doctors often recommend vitamin A supplements to people who have infertility as it supports reproductive health in men and women alike.
The recommended dietary allowance or RDA is 300-600 mcg is for infants and children, 900 mcg for men, and 700 mcg for women. Consuming vitamin A via food sources is safe and does not affect your health adversely.
In light of this, here is a list of 15 fantastic foods that are packed with vitamin A.
15 Top Foods That Are High In Vitamin A
1. Broccoli
Incorporating broccoli into your daily diet can prevent the symptoms associated with weak immunity. You can also increase its consumption when suffering from weak eyesight. Broccoli provides a considerable amount of vitamin A to your body. Nutritionists say one cup of chopped and cooked broccoli contains around 120 mg of vitamin and 54 calories.
2. Carrots
Have you ever thought why nutritionists always recommend eating carrots after detecting weak eyesight? Carrots alone can provide 184% of the daily recommended value of vitamin A. This root vegetable is a powerhouse of antioxidants and beta-carotene.
You can roast one or two carrots or eat them in caramelized form. Consuming raw baby carrots with your favorite dip does not only make a delicious snack, but it increases levels of vitamin A in your body as well.
3. Apricot
High in vitamin A and low in calories, apricots are a super food that everyone should consume. A few slices of organic apricots contain around 158 mg of vitamin A. Next time when you prepare a salad bowl, do not forget to add juicy and mouthwatering chunks of apricots. You can also eat a whole apricot as a snack between meals to avoid overeating.
4. Sweet Potatoes
You may have heard mixed reviews on whether you should consume sweet potatoes or not. According to recent studies, a medium-sized sweet potato contains 561% of vitamin A which is unbelievable.
You should eat this nutritional food at least once a week to get adequate doses of vitamin A. You can prepare stuffed sweet potato or bake it with other vegetables to serve with steak.
5. Black-eyed Peas
Vegans always look for food options to obtain nutrients like vitamin A that are widely found in animal-based food sources. You will be pleasantly surprised to learn that only one cup of black-eyed peas provides 60 mg of vitamin A. This variety of peas is low in calories and contains protein and dietary fiber as well. Therefore, incorporating black-eyed peas into your daily diet is a great way to improve your overall health.
6. Pumpkin
If you love consuming pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice latte in chilly evenings, you will be thrilled to learn that pumpkin is high in vitamin A and provides 249% of daily requirement. So, this holiday season treat yourself with some delicious pumpkin recipes and increase the level of vitamin A in your body.
7. Kale
Consuming vegetables such as kale is better than opting for supplements which might affect your wellbeing. Kale is one of the nutritious green vegetables. It does not only contain potassium or calcium, but a considerable amount of vitamin A as well.
When your body gets these essential nutrients on a daily basis, it impacts your immunity, vision, and promotes proper cell growth at the same time.
8. Mango
Who does not love this sweet and juicy fruit? It can become your ultimate source of obtaining vitamin A as it contains around 181 mg of the vitamin. One medium-sized mango allows your body to stock up vitamin A. When your body receives the required amount of the vitamin, it promotes the functioning of organs without any hindrance.
Mangoes blend in well in smoothies and dessert recipes as well. Or you can simply remove the peel and consume refreshing chunks of a mango.
9. Spinach
Leafy green vegetables like spinach should be on top of your grocery shopping list. Spinach is a powerhouse of several minerals, antioxidants, and vitamin A as well. Vitamin A consumed via spinach helps maintain sugar levels in your bloodstream.
Spinach can also prevent the onset of debilitating eye diseases such as night blindness and dry eye. Simply sauté a handful of spinach leaves with finely chopped garlic and olive oil to make a nutrient-dense side dish.
10. Red Bell Peppers
Flavorful red bell peppers or sweet bell peppers contain 187 mg of vitamin A and only 37 calories. Isn’t it fantastic! This fact makes it a health-friendly food source that enhances the taste of many recipes. For instance, sweet bell peppers go well in a vegetable wrap, pasta, sauté chicken or meat, omelet, salad, soups, or even stews.
11. Cantaloupe
Consuming smoothie that contain cantaloupe in the morning provides 54% of daily vitamin A requirement. This fruit also keeps you hydrated throughout the day which makes it an ideal food source especially in hot summer days.
12. Butternut Squash
Butternut squash or winter squash is loaded with vitamin A. Many health experts recommend consuming it due to low-calorie content. Incorporating winter squash is a quick way to obtain daily vitamin A requirement in both men and women. So, when you see butternut squash this winter, purchase one immediately.
13. Milk
Sipping on some warm milk provides calcium and 10% of vitamin A as well. You can also find fortified skimmed milk in the market if you want to avoid excess calories.
Plus, milk is one of the easy food sources to consume. For instance, you can prepare cereal in milk; add it to smoothies, pudding, or desserts. Or simply order latte to boost levels of vitamin A in your body.
14. Dried Apricots
Nutritionists recommend a handful of dried apricots that contain around 25% of vitamin A. So, munch on the dried variety of apricots when preparing food to get a quick dose of vitamin A.
15. Beef Liver
If you prefer meat over vegan options, you can consume beef liver to get a considerable amount of vitamin A instantly. Beef liver, if consumed in moderation, promotes your cardiovascular health. However, avoid over-consumption of the beef liver as it contains a lot of calories and carbs.
Bottom Line
It is true that the deficiency of vitamin A leads to several health problems. We suggest seeing a health expert if you have weak immunity or vision and avoid self-medication.