Vitamin A has numerous benefits for your body – eyes, hair, skin, and growth. It is common knowledge that orange and yellow foods are abundant in this vitamin – and they are right! But also red food, leafy greens, fatty fish, and liver are all fine sources of this vitamin.
I listed many ingredients rich in vitamin A, so the combinations for tasty dishes are endless. You can combine them with anything you like, from salads to stews. But, when it comes to fruit and veggies, you will get the most out of them if you eat them fresh or lightly steamed. That way you will keep the vitamins intact!
Read on to get ideas on what ingredients to pair to skyrocket your vitamin intake, but also what to avoid, and how to recognize the vitamin A deficiency. Let’s speak about overall health, diet, skin, and hair because vitamin A influences them all!
Signs of Vitamin A Deficiency
Serious vitamin A deficiency is rare in first-world countries, as people have more access to fresh and nutritional food. On the other side, low-income countries are still fighting this problem, as the best sources of vitamin A, like fresh vegetables and meat, are often not available.
Night Blindness
Night blindness is a very serious symptom of vitamin A deficiency and, unfortunately, is still present in undeveloped countries, especially among children and pregnant women. On the other side, developed countries rarely encounter severe deficiencies.
Vitamin A is crucial for the production of rhodopsin – an eye pigment that is responsible for low-light vision. Without enough vitamin A, the eyes struggle to adjust to dim light. It also dries out and damages the cornea and retina.
This happens because of low vitamin A intake through diet, as people in low-income countries don’t always have access to fresh ingredients and supplements. This is, obviously, one of the most severe cases of vitamin A deficiency.
Dry Eyes
Dry eyes are milder symptoms, but still very uncomfortable. It occurs because vitamin A is significant for maintaining the health of the conjunctiva and cornea. They are responsible for producing tears and keeping the eyes moist.
When there is a vitamin A deficiency, the eye’s ability to produce tears can be affected, so they become dry and irritated. If you live nearby, local services such as Eye Care (in Senatobia, Mississippi) can evaluate persistent dryness and rule out other causes. Of course, you can have these symptoms for other reasons, so it is essential to consult with a medical professional.
Dry Skin, Hair, and Acne
Vitamin A plays a pivotal role in keeping the health and integrity of the skin. It helps the revitalization while keeping the texture smooth and the skin glowing. This vitamin also regulates the production of sebum, which is chief for preventing dryness and boosting skin hydration.
What’s more, vitamin A promotes skin reparation after injuries and reduces blemishes and scars. Certain antioxidant activities also protect the skin from damage—more precisely, they delay aging due to collagen.
The lack of vitamin A can irritate the skin, making it itchy, plus causing redness and swelling. That’s why it works like a charm in conditions like acne or eczema. Both of these can be treated orally and topically with the vitamin.
One of the most popular acne treatments is in the form of vitamin A – isotretinoin (Accutane). You will find different forms of vitamins in creams and serums, like retinol and retinal. They are amazing for the skin but can have many side effects, so medical consultations are needed.
When it comes to hair, vitamin A has a huge role in maintaining its quality.
An early sign of dry scalp is dandruff flaking, which can usher to hair thinning and loss. That’s why, you will find loads of different, vitamin-rich hair products and scalp oils on the shelves. The right treatment of hair and a change of diet is essential for getting back the quality of hair follicles.
Poor Wound Healing
Vitamin A has a critical role in wound healing, as it is essential for the growth of epithelial cells that form the outer layer of the skin. Those cells cover, protect, and heal the wounds. The next super important thing is collagen – a protein that is responsible for the structure, strength, and elasticity of the skin.
It helps to rebuild and repair damaged tissue, so it is chief for wound healing. To heal the wounds, you must have a strong immune system, as it fights off infection and promotes healing. Vitamin A plays a major role in the first immune response, thus there is no healing without it!
How to Increase Vitamin A Levels
There are two main forms of vitamin A. The first one is preformed vitamin A – retinol and retinyl ester that is found in animal products and ready to be absorbed by your body. It is important for maintaining healthy vision, supporting the immune system, and boosting skin condition.
The second form is provitamin A carotenoids from plant-based foods, which need to be converted into vitamin A in the body. Beta-carotene is the most popular one, as it is an antioxidant responsible for cell protection and the orange color of vegetables and fruit.
Keep in mind that you need to track the daily vitamin A intake (if you taking it as supplements), otherwise, it is hard to reach the maximum with food. The suggested daily intake of vitamin A differs depending on age and gender. However, adult men need around 900 micrograms per day, while the daily dose for women is 700 mcg.
Adapt Your Diet
Enrichening your diet with vitamin A is super simple, as there are numerous ingredients abundant in it. Fruits and vegetables contain not only beta-carotene, but also 3 carotenoids: lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, that shield the skin from sun damage.
Beta-carotene-rich fruit and veggies are always red, orange, and yellow, plus leafy greens. The best vegetables to skyrocket your daily vitamin A intake are carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash, bell peppers, tomatoes, and greens: kale, collard, turnip, bok choy, Swiss chard, spinach, romaine lettuce, and broccoli.
Next in line are fruits, and these have the highest amount of vitamin A: mango, papaya, apricot, cantaloupe, grapefruit, passion fruit, peach, plum, olives, watermelon, nectarines, tangerine, guava, and oranges. As you can see, these are all simple, everyday ingredients, plus very versatile, so there is something for everyone’s taste.
Speaking of animal food rich in retinol, it is mainly based on oily fish and liver. Dairy products – milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter are fine sources of vitamins. Go for cheeses like goat, Limburger, cheddar, Camembert, Roquefort, or cream cheese and whole milk.
As mentioned, oily fish is a superb source of retinol. The best varieties are mackerel, salmon, herring, Bluefin tuna, trout, and cod fish oil, plus seafood – clams and oysters. Eggs are also abundant in vitamin A, especially yolk.
Lastly, by far the best source of vitamin A is liver – lamb, beef, goose, or any pâté actually. Because of the severe damage vitamin A deficiency causes, many foods are boosted with vitamin A. Fortified oils, cereal, condiments, milk, and sugar are all great ideas for suppressing this problem.
Take the Supplements
Taking vitamin A through the supplement is only needed if you have risks, deficiencies, or some medical conditions that require higher doses. It shouldn’t replace a balanced diet, though, as eating fresh vegetables and fruit is irreplaceable. There are many different supplements on the market, but don’t take them without consultation.
Here is the list of the best brands in their respective categories, chosen by medical professionals. To boost the absorption of vitamin A, keep in mind it is fat-soluble, so eat it with fatty food. A low-fat diet isn’t friendly for vitamin A resorption, at all, as it is best consumed with red meat, olive oil, cheeses, or fatty fish.
Also, consuming supplements without having eaten is not the best option. This is because vitamins don’t have anything to resorb with, and they just move through your body. Partially resorbed vitamins like that can cause digestive problems and heartburn.
Eating an avocado before taking the supplement showed really good results when it comes to absorption. Due to avocados being “healthy fat”, it is not a surprise they work so well in this combination. Vitamin A and zinc have similar roles in the body, so they are related.
Zink boosts absorption of vitamin A and vice-versa, so take them with food high in zinc, like red meat, chicken, seafood, nuts, or legumes.
Choose the Right Cosmetic Products
Retinol is one of the finest cosmetic ingredients that has numerous benefits for the skin, but you must be very careful with its usage. There is a paragraph above on how vitamin A affects the skin, so there is no reason you wouldn’t want it as part of your routine.
It suppresses the first signs of aging, refines skin texture, and irons out the wrinkles. Always keep in mind to wear good sun protection every single day, as retinol makes the skin super sensitive to UV light.
image sources
- Healthy Salad: Deposit Photos
