Vitamin A: what it does & best food sources
What it does — EU-authorised health claims
Vitamin A contributes to normal iron metabolism.
Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes.
Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.
Vitamin A contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
Wording as authorised in Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 EUR-LexEU Commission
How much do adults need?
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 19–30 | 900 µg | 700 µg |
| 31–50 | 900 µg | 700 µg |
| 51–70 | 900 µg | 700 µg |
| 71+ | 900 µg | 700 µg |
- US Recommended Dietary Allowance / Adequate Intake (US National Academies), as published by NIH ODS — see the table above; values in retinol activity equivalents (RAE). NIH ODS
- US label FDA Daily Value: 900 µg. On a US food label, 5 % DV or less per serving is low and 20 % or more is high. FDA
- EU label EU Nutrient Reference Value: 800 µg. EUR-Lex
Best food sources (per portion)
| Food | Portion | Vitamin A | % US DV | % EU NRV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sweet potato | 200 g | 1316 µg | 146 % | 165 % |
 Carrots | 100 g | 945 µg | 105 % | 118 % |
 Kale | 100 g | 479 µg | 53 % | 60 % |
 Hokkaido pumpkin | 150 g | 401 µg | 45 % | 50 % |
 Spinach | 100 g | 370 µg | 41 % | 46 % |
 Eggs, boiled | 120 g (2 eggs) | 305 µg | 34 % | 38 % |
 Red sweet pepper | 100 g | 233 µg | 26 % | 29 % |
 Romaine lettuce | 80 g | 192 µg | 21 % | 24 % |
 Apricots | 100 g | 141 µg | 16 % | 18 % |
 Lamb's lettuce | 50 g | 134 µg | 15 % | 17 % |
 Mozzarella | 60 g | 132 µg | 15 % | 17 % |
 Mango | 150 g | 94.5 µg | 11 % | 12 % |
 Green peas, frozen | 100 g | 91 µg | 10 % | 11 % |
 Broccoli | 150 g | 85.5 µg | 10 % | 11 % |
 Feta | 30 g | 82.6 µg | 9 % | 10 % |
Per normal portion. Values from BLS 4.0. % US DV = share of the FDA Daily Value. % EU NRV = share of the EU Nutrient Reference Value.
Sources
- Vitamin A — fact sheet for health professionals — NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels — US Food and Drug Administration
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information (Annex XIII: Nutrient Reference Values; Art. 7(3)) — European Union (EUR-Lex)
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — list of permitted health claims (consolidated) — European Union (EUR-Lex)
- EU Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods — European Commission
- Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) 4.0 — German Nutrient Database — Max Rubner-Institut