Various foods are high in vitamin A, including organ meats, sweet potatoes, carrots, eggs, fish, and dairy products. This fat-soluble vitamin plays a role in your vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell functions, and immune system. You can also find vitamin A in dietary supplements. Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, it’s best to pair it with dietary fat for optimal absorption.
Vitamin A is primarily found in two forms in the diet: preformed (found in animal products) and provitamin A (precursors to vitamin A found in plant foods). The most common form of provitamin A is beta carotene, an antioxidant that helps neutralize harmful free radicals in the body.
Organ meats are a rich source of vitamin A.
- Beef liver, pan-fried, 3 ounces: 6,582 mcg RAE, or 731% of the DV
- Lamb liver, pan-fried, 3 ounces: 6,610 mcg RAE, or 734% of the DV
- Pork liver sausage (liverwurst): 8,310 mcg RAE, or 923% of the daily value (DV)
Liver is also a good source of protein and iron. However, it’s also high in saturated fat, a nutrient the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend capping at 10% of your calorie intake. So, it’s also best to consume other sources of vitamin A that are lower in saturated fat.
2. Eggs
Egg yolks are a fantastic source of complete protein and a good source of vitamin A. Each large egg has 75 mcg RAE, or 7% of the DV. As you’ll soon learn, many veggies and cheese are also good sources of vitamin A, so a veggie and cheese omelet could be a great way to consume more vitamin A.
Many fatty fish are also high in vitamin A, including mackerel, salmon, and herring. You can also find lots of vitamin A in cod fish oil.
- Bluefin tuna, cooked, 3 ounces: 643 mcg RAE, or 71% of the DV
- Fish oil, cod liver, 1 tablespoon: 4,080 mcg RAE, or 453% of the DV
- Herring, Atlantic, pickled, 3 ounces: 219 mcg RAE, or 24% of the DV
- King mackerel, cooked, 3 ounces: 214 mcg RAE, or 24% of the DV
- Salmon, sockeye, cooked, 3 ounces: 59 mcg RAE, or 7% of the DV
Besides vitamin A, fish is a high-quality protein source. While most Americans tend to consume enough protein, they don’t tend to meet the Dietary Guidelines’ recommendations for eating at least 8 ounces of fish per week. Fish is important because it’s a good source of unsaturated fat, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D.
4. Dairy Products
You can find vitamin A in a bunch of dairy products. However, these can also be high in saturated fat, so it’s generally best to opt for fat-free or low-fat dairy products if you have high cholesterol.
- Butter, 1 tablespoon: 97 mcg RAE, or 11% of the DV
- Fat-free milk with added vitamins A and D, 1 cup: 149 mcg RAE, or 17% of the DV
- Vanilla soft serve ice cream, ⅔ cup: 185 mcg RAE, or 21% of the DV
Many cheeses are a good source of vitamin A, as well.
- Cheddar cheese, 1 ounce: 95 mcg RAE, or 11% of the DV
- Goat cheese, soft, 1 ounce: 82 mcg RAE, or 9% of the DV
- Ricotta cheese, part-skim, ½ cup: 133 mcg RAE, or 15% of the DV
- Roquefort cheese, 1 ounce: 83 mcg RAE, or 9% of the DV
Milk and cheese are also great sources of dietary calcium, a nutrient important for bone and tissue health.
Vitamin A is added to some foods that don’t naturally contain it. Milk is one of them. Plant-based milks are also often fortified with vitamin A. Besides milk, vitamin A is also added to margarine and some breakfast cereals. Oftentimes, fortified breakfast cereals contain 10% of the DV for vitamin A, or 90 mcg RAE, in each serving.
Pairing fortified breakfast cereals with milk fortified with vitamin A makes for a vitamin A-rich breakfast or snack.
6. Legumes
Many legumes have some vitamin A, but black-eyed peas in particular will help boost your vitamin A intake. They contain 7% of the DV, or 66 mcg RAE, per cup.
They’re also a good source of plant-based protein. Similar to fish, most Americans could stand to eat more legumes for protein. So, adding more fish and black-eyed peas to your diet could not only boost your vitamin A intake but also help promote a well-rounded protein intake.
Fruits are an important part of a well-balanced diet because they have fiber and vitamins. Orange and yellow fruits are good sources of beta-carotene, an antioxidant, and precursor to vitamin A. Cantaloupe and mango, in particular, are rich in vitamin A.
- Cantaloupe, ½ cup: 135 mcg RAE, or 15% of the DV
- Mango, 1 whole: 112 mcg RAE per mango, or 12% of the DV
Other fruits, like papaya and grapefruit, have some vitamin A, but it’s below 10% of the DV per serving.
8. Vegetables
Orange and yellow vegetables, as well as dark, leafy ones, are high in vitamin A. These include:
- Carrots, raw, ½ cup: 459 mcg RAE, or 51% of the DV
- Spinach, frozen, boiled, ½ cup: 573 mcg RAE, or 64% of the DV
- Sweet potato, baked in skin, 1 whole: 1,403 mcg RAE, or 156% of the DV
- Sweet red peppers, raw, ½ cup: 117 mcg RAE, or 13% of the DV
Just like fruit, vegetables are also generally high in fiber and other micronutrients. Non-starchy vegetables are also low in carbohydrates, making them especially helpful for those with diabetes who need to be mindful of their carbohydrate intake.
For males ages 19 and older, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin A is 900 micrograms of retinal activity equivalents (mcg RAE) per day, and for females 19 and up, it’s 700 mcg RAE. Most Americans get enough vitamin A in their diet, so deficiency is rare in the U.S.
A Quick Review
To get in more vitamin A—a nutrient important for various facets of health—you have lots of options. You can find it in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, various fish, eggs, fortified milk and cereal, black-eyed peas, cheese, and organ meats.
Eating a well-rounded diet that includes all these food groups—starches/grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, fat, and dairy—can help you not only meet your vitamin A needs but also feel satisfied and promote your overall health.
