6 foods with more vitamin A than a carrot

Vitamin A keeps your skin and eyes healthy and supports your immune system and reproductive health. Your body can’t produce vitamin A, so you must get it by eating foods that contain vitamin A or carotenoids, which the body converts to vitamin A.

1. Beef liver

Vitamin A: 6,582 mcg RAE
Serving Size: 3 ounces

The best source of vitamin A is beef liver. A 3-ounce serving contains 6,582 micrograms (mcg) of retinol activity equivalents (RAE), or about seven times the required daily intake of vitamin A.

It’s okay to have beef liver every once in a while, but too much preformed vitamin A can make you sick. Additionally, because liver and other organ meats are high in saturated fat, they should only be eaten occasionally and in moderation.

2. Liver sausage

Vitamin A: 1,500 mcg RAE
Serving size: 1 slice, 2.5 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick

Liver sausage, a type of sausage made from liver meat, is another exceptional source of vitamin A. It contains 1,495 mcg RAE, which is more than 5 times the recommended daily serving for men.

3. Sweet potatoes

Vitamin A: 1,730 mcg RAE
Serving size: 1 large whole sweet potato, baked

One large sweet potato with skin contains 1,730 mcg RAE, making it easy to exceed your recommended daily intake. However, the vitamin A in sweet potatoes comes in the form of carotenoids (as in carrots as well), which are not dangerous in high doses, unlike preformed retinol.

The great thing about sweet potatoes is that they are so versatile. From sweet potato fries to sweet potato soup, there are many foods you can make with this source of vitamin A.

4. Spinach

Vitamin A: 573 mcg RAE
Serving size: 1/2 cup boiled

There was something Popeye loved about spinach – maybe it was all that vitamin A that helped him stay so strong. Half a cup of boiled spinach contains 573 mcg RAE, enough to help you meet your vitamin A goals.

5. Pumpkin soup

Vitamin A: 902 mcg RAE
Serving size: 1 cup

Pumpkin packs a punch when it comes to vitamin A: One cup contains 902 mcg RAE. Pumpkin puree is a great base for a healthy soup.

6. Pumpkin Pie

Vitamin A: 902 mcg RAE
Serving size: 1 slice

A sweet way to get your vitamin A intake is to eat a slice of pumpkin pie. A commercially prepared pie contains approximately 488 mcg of RAE in each slice.

What are other sources of vitamin A?

Carrots are a great source of vitamin A, so it’s hard to find foods that can compete. However, you can get plenty of vitamin A in your diet by incorporating foods that are good sources of vitamin A (even if they contain less RAA than carrots).

Other good sources of vitamin A include:

• Herring (fish): 219 mcg RAE per 3 ounces
• Vanilla ice cream: 185 mcg RAE per 2/3 cup
• Skimmed milk, enriched with vitamin A: 149 mcg RAE per cup
• Cantaloupe: 135 mcg RAE per 1/2 cup
• Ricotta cheese (partially skimmed): 135 mcg RAE per 1/2 cup
• Red peppers: 117 mcg RAE per 1/2 cup
• Mango: 112 mcg RAE per whole mango

What are the benefits of vitamin A?

Vitamin A has many benefits. Many of these come from consuming vitamin A in your diet and might not be reproduced by taking vitamin A supplements. Benefits of vitamin A include:

• Healthy teeth and bones
• Healthy skin
• Good vision, especially in low light
• Healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Antioxidant
• Protection against cancer

The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that vitamin A supplements do not prevent measlesa serious viral infection preventable by vaccination. Vitamin A deficiency is extremely rare in the United States, and supplementing too much with vitamin A can make you sick. In developing countries where vitamin A deficiency is common, supplementation in early childhood may offer some protection against measles.