Where is vitamin A found?

Where is vitamin A found? Vitamin A is very important for the proper functioning of our body. It is responsible, among others, for our eyesight and the functioning of the immune system. Therefore, it is extremely important to include it in your daily diet. Where is vitamin A found?

What forms does vitamin A come in?

Like many other vitamins, vitamin A also takes the form of various organic compounds. Retinol is best absorbed by our bodies, but beta carotene is also a good source, as long as it is served with oil.

Where is vitamin A found?

The most absorbable form of vitamin A is retinol, which is found primarily in animal products. In plant products, we find mainly beta carotene, which is less absorbable, but can still be a reliable source of vitamin A.

Animal sources of vitamin A

Most of the best assimilable vitamin A can be found in products of animal origin – primarily offal, meat and dairy products. It is in them that retinol is found, which is the most liked form of vitamin A by our body.

Tran

Cod liver oil contains the most vitamin A of all food products. It is an extract from the liver of fish, usually cod. It was known in ancient times. It was obtained by placing fish livers on the branches of coniferous trees, over boiling water. The steam made the liver gradually leak oil, which was then collected from the surface of the water. Today, we have much more effective methods of extracting fish liver oil. In addition to vitamin A, cod liver oil also provides us with large amounts of vitamin D.

Liver

The livers of other animals commonly eaten by humans also contain large amounts of vitamin A. This is because it is a fat-soluble vitamin, and therefore stored in the body. Of all the organs in the body, the liver stores it the most.

It turns out, however, that the livers of different animals have different amounts of vitamin A. Of course, fish, especially cod, have the most of it. However, it will be rather difficult for us to buy and regularly consume cod liver. However, we can replace it with turkey, beef, pork or poultry liver – from chicken, duck or goose. They all contain significant amounts of vitamin A.

Ghee or ghee

Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, animal fats also contain a lot of it. However, under the influence of melting them at very high temperatures, this vitamin loses its properties.

It is different in the case of Indian ghee, i.e. clarified butter. It is created by very slow melting of animal fats over low heat. The content of vitamin A in such a product is similar to the amount found in liver.

Butter

In connection with the above, the question may arise whether butter also contains large amounts of vitamin A. After all, it is also fat of animal origin. It turns out that yes, although the amount is not as spectacular as in the case of ghee. There is almost five times less vitamin A in butter than in ghee. However, these are still large amounts.

Milk

Even less vitamin can be found in milk and its products. This amount is almost 25 times lower than butter, and also lower than the vitamin A content of most fruits and vegetables.

Plant sources of vitamin A

To provide yourself with the right doses of vitamin A with the help of a meat-free diet, you need some knowledge and perseverance. This is because in plants this vitamin is mainly in the form of beta carotene, which is much less absorbed by our bodies than retinol present in animal products. However, it turns out that such a diet is possible. An alternative to it is taking synthetic vitamin A supplements.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes, also known as yams, contain large amounts of vitamin A. However, it should be borne in mind that this amount is still about seven times lower than, for example, the content of the same vitamin in chicken liver. The upside, however, is that you can eat much more potatoes than livers. However, it is worth remembering that vitamin A is present here in the form of beta carotene, which is absorbed by our body only in the company of fats. So remember to add a little oil to sweet potatoes to be able to take full advantage of the vitamins contained in it.

Carrot

The same applies to carrots, which also contain large amounts of beta carotene. No matter how we consume it, it should also be present in our diet with the addition of oil.

Other vegetables

There are also many other vegetables that contain significant amounts of beta carotene. Vitamin A can be found in vegetables such as:

- - broccoli,
  - Kale,
  - Cabbage,
  - Pumpkin,
  - Dandelion,
  - Spinach,
  - Pepper,
  - Tomatoes.

Fruit

Some fruits also contain some doses of vitamin A. These include, above all, melons, apricots, mangoes and papayas.

Golden rice

Interestingly, work is currently underway to obtain plants that provide large amounts of vitamin A. Such products could be a convenient and safe source for people on a meat-free diet. One of them is rice, called golden or yellow. However, it is still not available for human consumption.