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Healthy Eating & Vitamin A

What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a group of compounds that form a fat soluble vitamin stored mainly in the liver. It helps regulate the immune system as well as contributing to healthy vision, bone growth, reproduction and the functioning of cells within the body.

There are two forms of vitamin A: preformed vitamin A| which is found in food that comes from animals and is absorbed in the form of retinol, and provitamin A carotenoid which comes from fruit and vegetables and is converted into retinol in the body. Retinol is one of the most usable forms of vitamin A. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 800mg or 5000 IU (international units). The upper limit recommended allowance is 2300mg / 20,000 IU.

What can foods rich in Vitamin A do for me?

• Maintain good eyesight
• Maintain healthy skin
• Help the body fight infections

What indicates a lack of Vitamin A?

• Dry skin and flaky scalp
• Loss of appetite
• Increased susceptibility to infections
• Brittle, dull hair

Who particularly needs Vitamin A?

• Anyone on a low fat diet
• Anyone with fat malabsorption problems
• Anyone who consumes excessive amounts of alcohol (excess alcohol depletes stores of vitamin A).

Foods rich in Vitamin A*

*Vitamin A amounts measured in International Units (IU), which measure the potency of a substance rather than its weight or mass.