Benefits Of Vitamin A: Also known as retinol or beta carotene, vitamin A can offer immense benefits for your overall health and well-being. Scroll down to know more.
VITAMIN A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which plays an integral role in maintaining normal vision, body growth, immune system, and reproductive health. Our body needs adequate amounts of essential vitamins to help in proper body functioning and maintaining good health. Adequate amounts of vitamin A in your diet can help prevent symptoms of deficiency, including hair loss, dry eyes, skin problems, night blindness and increased susceptibility to infections.
Benefits Of Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for many processes in your body, including maintaining healthy vision, ensuring the normal function of your organs and immune system, and aiding the proper development of babies in the womb, states Healthline. It protects your eyes from night blindness and age-related decline, lowers the risk of certain cancers, supports a healthy immune system, reduces the risk of acne, supports bone health and promotes healthy growth and reproduction.
How Much Vitamin A Is Adequate?
According to Healthline, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 900 micrograms (mcg) for males, 700 mcg for females, and 300–600 mcg for children and adolescents.
Foods Rich In Vitamin A Nutrient
1. Sweet Potato
The WebMD reports that a single whole sweet potato contains an impressive 1400 mcg of vitamin A in its skin. That’s more than 150 per cent of your daily requirement in a single serving. For people following plant-based diets, sweet potato is an invaluable source of vitamin A.
2. Spinach
Spinach is known as the powerhouse of nutrients and offers numerous health benefits. A single half-cup serving of spinach contains more than 570 mcg of vitamin A. When consumed raw, in a smoothie or eaten by cooking it, the nutrient profile of spinach can be excellent for your overall health.
3. Carrots
Carrots are second after sweet potatoes in the amounts of beta-carotene (vitamin A). From benefitting the skin, bones, and teeth, carrots are an excellent addition to your regular diet. As per WebMD, half a cup of raw carrots contains more than 450 mcg of vitamin A.
4. Lettuce
Lettuce is another excellent source of beta carotene amongst other food items. One cup serving of lettuce contains around 205 mcg of vitamin A. It is also abundant in iron, calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin K, that promote a healthy body. It also has a significant amount of folate, which is required for healthy cells and the growth of babies during pregnancy.
5. Red Bell Peppers
Not just vitamin A, red bell peppers have an abundant amount of vitamin C as well. Each half cup of raw red pepper provides you with 47 per cent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin A and 159 per cent of your vitamin C, as per WebMD. Regular consumption of this food can help in keeping your eyes healthy and maintain overall vision.
