Vitamin A helps to keep our skin healthy, it boosts our immune system, and best of all, it can even help us to see in the dark. But for plant eaters, what are the best vegan sources of Vitamin A?
Vitamin A Rich Foods Vegan
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Dried apricots
- Kale
- Cantaloupe
- Butternut squash
- Spinach
- Red peppers
- Papaya
- Tomatoes
How Many Vitamins A Do We Need?
For a healthy, functioning body, vegans need to keep their beta carotene levels topped up. A Vitamin A deficiency can lead to weakened immune systems, and you’ll be more susceptible to illness. Signs of a vegan diet vitamin deficiency also include rashes, dry skin, or impaired vision. To avoid a Vitamin A deficiency, then men need to consume 0.7 milligrams a day of Vitamin A. Women need a Vitamin A daily intake of 0.6 milligrams. Given how widespread Vitamin A plant sources are, it’s rare that you wouldn’t fill this requirement through your normal diet. In fact, it’s not a vitamin A deficiency you should be worried about if you eat a healthy, balanced diet; it’s too much Vitamin A that’s not good for our health!
How Much Vitamin A Is Too Much?
We already mentioned earlier in the article that our bodies can struggle to process too much retinol, the form of Vitamin A that is sourced from animal products. That was an understatement. Too much retinol can be deadly. Medical advice warns large quantities of retinol can lead to dangerous birth defects if pregnant women consume too much. Too much retinol can weaken the bones over many years, too, leading to complications in older generations that have been brought up on fish- and meat-heavy diets. But how much is too much? It’s estimated that consuming more than 1.5 milligrams of Vitamin A per day is dangerous. Importantly, though, we are talking about retinol or the animal-derived Vitamin A. This also stands true for Vitamin A supplements, which are not recommended. A beta-carotene overdose from eating too many carrots is much rarer, as our bodies can better regulate this type of Vitamin A.
