Vitamins : Eat Foods High in Vitamin A or Take Supplements

Article by Alison Addy

Our Need For Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for proper growth. Vitamin A is needed for many of our body’s functions. Some of the things Vitamin A is needed for are maintaining good eyesight, repair and growth of our body tissues, healthy skin and promoting good bone and teeth formation in children. Research has also shown that it may be useful as an antioxidant.

Although Vitamin A exists as a single compound, it also is present in nature in several different forms. Vitamin A is found in both plants and animals. When it comes from animal tissues, it contains aldehyde, a form of alcohol that is also an acid. However, when it comes from plants, it contains the vitamin carotenoid. Carotenoid comes in different forms, but the most common and well-known carotenoid is carotene, which is found in carrots and apricots. It is also what gives them their bright orange color. Crude palm oil is the richest carotenoids source in nature. You remember as a child being told to eat your carrots for good eyesight. It’s easy to realize than that Vitamin is good for your eyesight.

How Much Do We Need

The amount of Vitamin A we need in our body, known as the United States of America RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) depends on the gender of the person. Men should have approximately 900 micrograms while women need around 700 micrograms. Although we should eat foods high in Vitamin A, consuming as much as 3,000 micrograms is bordering on too high. Many people are worried that they are not getting the right amount of Vitamin A from the foods they eat so they choose to take Vitamin A supplements. If you take multivitamins, you will usually get the recommended amount you need. Try to eat as many foods that are rich in Vitamin A as you can.

Foods High in Vitamin A

Many foods are excellent choices for Vitamin A. Liver is one of the many foods high in Vitamin A. Being a fat-soluble vitamin, Vitamin A is stored in our fats and in the liver. Other foods high in Vitamin A are sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, apricots and mangos. Generally, any foods that are orange or yellow in color are good Vitamin A sources. Spinach, milk, egg yolks, mozzarella cheese and cantaloupe are also foods high in Vitamin A.

As good as Vitamin A is for us, care should be taken to not consume too much Vitamin A. Consuming too much Vitamin A can be toxic, especially for pregnant women. Beta-carotene may not be harmful to our bodies, but too much could give our skin an orangish tone.

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