Madeleine Hull
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to function properly. A well-balanced diet is recommended, but not everyone eats a nutrient-rich diet with foods from all the major food groups. Vitamins can be sourced from food or supplements, but it is easier for your body to absorb micronutrients through food. A healthy diet involves an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, low-fat protein, and dairy products. Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, is a nutrient that plays a vital role in eye and immune health. It is important to monitor your vitamin A intake as too much can be harmful, and vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of blindness in developing countries.
How to increase vitamin A in your diet
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Recommended daily intake | 900 mcg for males, 700 mcg for females, 300–500 mcg for children and adolescents |
| Sources of vitamin A | Oily fish, liver, cheese, butter, whole grains, wheat, legumes, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs |
| Benefits of vitamin A | Plays a vital role in eye and immune health, helps prevent osteoporosis |
| Risks of vitamin A | High levels during pregnancy can cause problems with fetal development, can increase the risk of osteoporosis |
| Alternative sources of vitamin A | Oral supplements, vitamin booster shots |
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What You'll Learn
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to increase your vitamin A intake. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient that plays a vital role in maintaining eye and immune health.
Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of provitamin A carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A. However, it's important to note that the ability to convert these carotenoids into vitamin A can vary depending on genetics.
When it comes to vegetables, dark, leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collard greens are excellent sources of provitamin A. Other vegetable options include broccoli, carrots, and sweet potatoes. These vegetables are particularly rich in beta-carotene and can provide a significant amount of vitamin A.
For fruits, look for those with bright orange or red hues, as they tend to be higher in provitamin A carotenoids. Apricots, cantaloupe, mangoes, and papayas are all excellent choices. Additionally, some berries, such as strawberries and tomatoes, can also contribute to your vitamin A intake.
While it is important to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet, remember that vitamin A is just one of many essential nutrients. To ensure you're getting a balanced mix of vitamins and minerals, aim for a diverse and colourful plate that includes other food groups such as whole grains, beans, legumes, low-fat protein, and dairy products.
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Consume dairy products
Dairy products are a great source of vitamin A, which is a fat-soluble nutrient that plays a vital role in maintaining vision, body growth, immune function, and reproductive health. Vitamin A is essential for eye and immune health, and its deficiency can lead to hair loss, skin problems, dry eyes, night blindness, and increased susceptibility to infections.
The Dairy Group, as defined by the USDA, includes milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free milk, and fortified soy milk and yogurt. These products are excellent sources of vitamin A and can help you meet your daily requirements. For example, vitamin A can be found in cheese. However, it is important to note that the Dairy Group does not include dairy-made foods with little calcium and high fat, such as cream cheese, sour cream, cream, and butter.
Fortified soy milk and yogurt are excellent alternatives for those who cannot consume dairy products. They are included in the Dairy Group due to their similar nutritional content to dairy milk and yogurt. These fortified options provide calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D, ensuring that those with dairy restrictions can still obtain these essential nutrients.
In addition to the traditional dairy products, there are lactose-free and low-fat options available. These alternatives can be found in the form of milk, yogurt, and cheese, providing the same vitamin A benefits without the lactose or fat content. About 90% of Americans do not get enough dairy in their diets, and most people could benefit from including more fat-free or low-fat dairy options.
By incorporating dairy products into your diet, you can increase your vitamin A intake and support various aspects of your health. Remember that your overall dairy needs may vary depending on factors such as age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. Consulting resources like the MyPlate Plan can help you determine the right amount of dairy for your individual needs.
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Eat whole grains
Eating whole grains is an essential part of a healthy diet. Whole grains are a valuable source of dietary fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, copper, and magnesium. They also contain phytochemicals, such as phenolic compounds, that play important roles in disease prevention.
Whole grains are any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain. This includes bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, grits, and tortillas. Some examples of whole grains are wheat, oat, or bran cereal, and popcorn, rice, and oatmeal.
The recommended intake of whole grains is three servings a day, but the average daily intake is one or fewer servings. To increase your whole grain intake, try to make sure that at least half of the grains you eat are whole grains. For example, you could add berries and chia seeds to your morning cereal to boost your fiber intake.
Whole grains are a good source of B vitamins, which are essential for a healthy nervous system and play a key role in metabolism. They also provide dietary fiber, which can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease.
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Take vitamin supplements
While it is recommended that you get vitamin A from your diet, taking supplements is another way to increase your vitamin A intake. Vitamin A is a critical fat-soluble vitamin that helps maintain vision, body growth, immune function, and reproductive health.
Vitamin A supplements are available in the form of preformed vitamin A (retinol, retinyl esters) and can be purchased over the counter. Many multivitamins contain vitamin A, and other supplements such as fish liver oil are also high in vitamin A.
If you are considering taking supplements, it is important to be aware of your daily intake from food and supplements combined. Consuming too much vitamin A can be harmful, and it is recommended that your daily intake from food and supplements does not exceed 1.5 mg (1,500 mcg). In particular, older people, especially women, should be cautious as high doses of vitamin A over many years may affect bone health, increasing the risk of fractures.
If you eat liver or liver pâté more than once a week, you may be getting too much vitamin A, and it is recommended to avoid taking supplements containing vitamin A unless advised to do so by a healthcare professional.
In addition to supplements, you can also increase your vitamin A intake by consuming certain fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, squash, apricots, and watermelon, as well as animal products like beef, chicken, and eggs.
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Eat foods with beta-carotene
Beta-carotene is a provitamin that your body can convert into vitamin A. It is best known for giving some foods an orange hue, but not all beta-carotene-rich foods are orange. Beta-carotene is fat-soluble, so it is more efficiently absorbed into the bloodstream when eaten with fat.
The richest sources of beta-carotene are yellow, orange, and green leafy fruits and vegetables. The more intense the colour of the fruit or vegetable, the more beta-carotene it has. Foods rich in beta-carotene include:
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Leafy greens (e.g. spinach)
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Cantaloupe
- Winter squash
Beta-carotene supplements are available in both capsule and gel forms. However, it is generally recommended to get beta-carotene from food rather than supplements. This is because it takes your body a few extra steps to break down nutrients when they come in supplement form. Additionally, supplements are not highly regulated, so it is difficult to know exactly what you are getting.
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Frequently asked questions
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient that plays a vital role in maintaining eye and immune health.
Good sources of vitamin A include liver, cheese, butter, oily fish, and dairy products. Beta-carotene, found in plants, can also be converted into vitamin A by the body.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin A is 900 micrograms for males and 700 micrograms for females. However, it is important to note that excessive vitamin A over many years may negatively affect bone health, especially in those already at risk of osteoporosis.
Yes, high levels of vitamin A during pregnancy can cause problems with fetal development. Additionally, older individuals, especially those with osteoporosis, should be cautious about excessive vitamin A intake as it may increase the risk of bone fractures.
