Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be found in fruits, vegetables, oils, and meats.

This article discusses vitamin A food sources in both fruits and vegetables.

Here are 24 fruits and vegetables with vitamin A.

But first:

What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is important for healthy eyes, a strong immune system, cell growth, reproduction, and fetal development.

Plant-based provitamin A carotenoids, which are vitamin A precursors, have antioxidant properties. 

Carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables may protect against certain types of cancer due to their antioxidant properties.

Vitamin A is the generic term for a group of fat-soluble compounds found in both animal and plant foods.

Highest Vitamin A in Food

Vitamin A concentrations are highest in animal foods such as liver, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

However, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, red/orange/yellow vegetables, fruits, and vegetable oils provide the majority of dietary vitamin A consumed in the United States.

Vegetables typically also have more vitamin A than fruits.

Related: Vegetables That Start With A

Types of Vitamin A

There are two types vitamin A found in food.

Plant-based Vitamin A

Provitamin A carotenoid is the compound beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. It is found in plant-based foods.

Plants produce carotenoids which are yellow, orange, and red pigments. Carotenoids give pumpkins, carrots, corn, and tomatoes their distinctive color.

In the human diet, the main provitamin A carotenoids are beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin.

Animal-derived Vitamin A

Preformed vitamin A is the active form vitamin A, which your body can use immediately. It can be found in meat, chicken, fish, and dairy products. Preformed vitamin A contains retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid.

Although preformed vitamin A is the most absorbable because it is derived from animals, some people prefer the provitamin A carotenoid or plant-based form.

Did you know?

When vitamin A is consumed alongside fatty foods and other fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins D, E, and K, it is more easily absorbed. To boost your vitamin A try adding avocados, nuts, and olive oil to your next salad or meal.

Vegetables With Vitamin A

1. Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes and other orange-colored vegetables have a high concentration of beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A. According to WebMD, eating just one sweet potato will provide you with 400% of your daily vitamin A requirements. This helps to keep your eyes and immune system healthy. It also benefits organs like the heart and kidneys, as well as the reproductive system.

A large sweet potato weighing 180 grams and baked with the skin contains 1,730 micrograms of vitamin A. One large sweet potato can satisfy more than 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance for both men and women.

2. Winter Squash

Winter squashes are known to be vitamin A. Butternut squash is high in vitamins and minerals. One cup of cooked butternut squash contains more than 450% of your daily vitamin A requirements. Getting enough vitamin A in your diet should help you avoid deficiency symptoms like hair loss, skin problems, dry eyes, night blindness, and increased susceptibility to infections.

3. Kale

Kale contains a significant amount of vitamin A. As a result, eating kale can be an effective way to boost your body’s levels of this vital vitamin. Kale has 206% of the DV (from beta-carotene). Eating enough vitamin A prevents the development of night blindness and may help slow the aging process of your eyesight.

4. Collards

Collard greens have a high vitamin A content and only a few calories per serving. They are an excellent source of vitamin A as well as other essential nutrients. Despite the fact that collard greens have a long history in Southern cooking that includes a lot of saturated fats and sodium, the vegetable has now earned a reputation among people who eat healthy as a superfood that should be included in your diet.

Vitamin A is required for the growth of all tissues in the body, including the skin and hair. It also helps to keep the eyes and immune system healthy, as well as contributes to the overall health of the body’s organs.

5. Turnip Greens

Turnip greens are high in both vitamin A and vitamin C. Turnip greens are a superfood that contain a plethora of beneficial nutrients. In addition, they are high in vitamin B6, folate, calcium, potassium, and copper, as well as dietary fiber and manganese. They have also contain thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, iron, and phosphorus, among other nutrients.

People with thyroid disorders should avoid eating turnips as much as possible since they have compounds that may thyroid function.

6. Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkins are a good source of beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A. One cup of cooked pumpkin contains vitamin A levels that are 245% higher than the RDI. A single slice of pumpkin pie contains more than the recommended daily value and also has 15% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin K and 7% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin E.

7. Carrot

A serving of carrots contains 184% of the daily value for vitamin A. Carrots contain a lot of vitamin A. In fact, a cooked carrot contains approximately 852 micrograms of retinol activity equivalents per 100 grams (RAE). Carrots are also high in a variety of vitamins and minerals, including biotin, potassium, and vitamin K1.

8. Red Bell Pepper

Red bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin A. A raw red bell pepper contains 47 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A per half cup consumed. Yellow peppers are lower in vitamin A and beta-carotene than green peppers, but higher in vitamin C.

9. Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is high in antioxidants such as alpha-and beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and choline. Swiss chard contains 44 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A and 18 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C in just one cup. Chard is delicious in soups, stews, casseroles, frittatas, and quiches, and it can be steamed or sautéed. Young leaves are edible raw in salads. Although the leaves of chard are always green, the stalks can be yellow, orange, or red.

10. Spinach

There’s a reason spinach is known as a superfood. One cup of raw spinach contains 16% of your daily value of the antioxidant vitamin A. Spinach is an excellent source of dietary fiber and vitamin A because it can be consumed raw, blended into a smoothie, or cooked into a dish. When compared to kale, spinach has a higher calcium and iron concentration, as well as higher levels of fiber, protein, and vitamin A.

11. Romaine Lettuce

The body converts beta carotene into vitamin A, and romaine lettuce is a good source of this nutrient. One hundred grams of romaine lettuce, for example, contains 436 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A. (17 times the amount of iceberg lettuce).

Romaine lettuce also contains a high mineral content, particularly calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. Romaine lettuce is rich in vitamins like C and K, and folate too.

12. Black-eyed Peas

A half-cup serving of black-eyed peas provides 13% of the recommended daily vitamin A intake. Vitamin A is good for your eyes because it protects the corneas, encourages the body to produce eye lubricant, and aids in the proper functioning of the retina.

Because of their high nutrient content, black-eyed peas, like other types of beans, are an excellent choice for a staple food. Because they are high in fiber and protein, black-eyed peas are a great choice for people who want to get eat healthy and increase their intake of vitamin A.

Fruits With Vitamin A

13. Goji Berry

Goji berries contain 340% of the daily value for vitamin A in one-fourth cup. Goji berries are used in traditional Chinese medicine to help slow the natural aging process, to strengthen the kidneys and liver, and to help the eyes. A small study that looked at the health benefits of goji juice found that drinking it every day helped with having more energy, sleeping better, being able to focus, and feeling less tired and stressed.

Goji berries are very high in vitamin A, to reduce your risk of vitamin A toxicity you should limit your consumption of goji berries.

14. Loquat

Loquat fruit is a great source of vitamin A and antioxidants like chlorogenic acid, neo-chlorogenic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, feruloyl quinic acid, protocatechuic acid, epicatechin, and coumaric acids. It has about 1,528 IU of vitamin A per 100g, which is 51% of the daily recommended amount.

Most look like small, orange-colored pears. Loquats have a sweet, tropical, citrusy, and slightly sour flavor. It looks and tastes like a mix of an apricot, an apple, and a pineapple. When it’s ready, it goes from being firm and crisp to being juicy like a peach. The fruit of the loquat tree is high in vitamin A and beta carotene, which is an antioxidant. It comes from Asia, but is now grown a lot in South America.

15. Mango

Mango contains a high concentration of vitamin A. One cup of mango contains approximately 25% of the daily recommended value of vitamin A. This vitamin is required by the body for a wide range of critical functions, particularly those related to the eyes and skin. Additionally, it improves the overall health of the reproductive, immune, and bones. Mangoes are a delicious tropical fruit that is not only low in calories but also high in vitamin A.

16. Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe has only 53 calories per cup, but it contains 106% of the daily value for vitamin A. It is also a good source of potassium and folate. It also contains magnesium, vitamin K, zinc, and folate. Cantaloupes are also known for their anti-inflammatory benefits that help reduce pain and protect against inflammation-related diseases.

17. Grapefruit (Pink and Red)

Pink and red grapefruits provide a benefit not found in other types of citrus fruit due to their exceptionally high levels of vitamin A, also known as beta carotene. Ruby red grapefruits contain high levels of antioxidant-rich vitamin A, as well as dietary fiber. Because grapefruits contain a lot of water, eating juicy grapefruits can help you rehydrate your body too.

18. Watermelon

One medium-sized slice of watermelon contains 9–11% of an individual’s daily vitamin A requirement. This nutrient is one of the most important factors in keeping your eyes healthy. Watermelon also contains a variety of nutrients, including the antioxidants lycopene and cucurbitacin E. It has a high water content when compared to the water content of other fruits.

19. Papaya

One small papaya provides 33% of the daily value for vitamin A. Papayas are also high in vitamin C, fiber, and phytonutrients. It also contains papain, an enzyme that is used to tenderize meat. Papayas are a nutritious tropical fruit that are rich in anti-inflammatory carotenoids that convert into vitamin A.

20. Tomato Juice

One cup (240 ml) of tomato juice contains 22% of your daily vitamin A requirements in the form of alpha-and beta-carotenoids. Tomatoes and tomato juice, like pumpkins, are high in vitamin C, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

It is quite common to drink tomato juice, which is made by extracting the juice from fresh tomatoes. You can buy tomato juice in its purest form, but many commercial products, like V8, mix tomato juice with juice from other vegetables, like carrots, celery, and beets. Other tomato juice is widely available in supermarkets.

21. Dried Apricot

Dried apricots are a deliciously sweet snack that is also high in vitamin A. Ten dried apricot halves contain 63 micrograms of vitamin A, which is equivalent to 7% of the daily value. Additionally, dried fruits are high in fiber and antioxidants.

22. Apricot

Apricots have a low fat content but a high concentration of vitamin A and beta-carotene. It is estimated that eating 100 grams of fresh apricots will provide you with 12% of your daily vitamin A, and 6% of your daily potassium needs.

23. Tangerine

In terms of vitamin A content, tangerines are one of the most concentrated sources of beta-cryptoxanthin, an antioxidant that is converted into vitamin A once inside the body. Tangerines are also high in potassium and vitamins from the B complex, specifically vitamins B1, B6, and B9, which are also known as thiamine, pyridoxine, and folate.

24. Elderberry

One cup of elderberries contains 870mg of vitamin A. Elderberries are also high in vitamin C. Elderberries can also prevent and lessen the severity of cold and flu symptoms.

This immune system booster tastes sweet and tart. You can make jams, jellies, syrups, and even cakes with elderberries.

Related: Fruits That Start With The Letter E

What are other fruits that are high in vitamin A?

• Nectarine
• Guava
• Passion Fruit

What is the Daily Recommended Amount of Vitamin A?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established the following recommended dietary allowances for vitamin A:

Vitamin A toxicity can be caused by exceeding the recommended daily allowance for an extended period of time. Children are more likely to get this condition at a younger age.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which animal-derived foods have the highest vitamin A content?

Foods highest in preformed vitamin A include:

• Egg yolks
• Liver (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, cod liver oil)
• Butter
• Salmon
• Cheddar cheese
• King mackerel

Why is vitamin A so important for our health?

Vitamin A is required by the body to aid in the development and repair of bone tissue, to regulate cell reproduction and differentiation, and to promote the production of both red and white blood cells. It is important for maintaining good eye health because it is an essential component of the protein rhodopsin. Rhodopsin is a protein found in the retina that is responsible for light absorption. If a person doesn’t get enough vitamin A, they may be more likely to get cancer or age-related macular degeneration.

How can I improve my body’s absorption of vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a nutrient that is fat-soluble. This means that in order for it to be absorbed in the intestines, it must be consumed alongside a source of dietary fat. Serve sweet potatoes as a side dish with chicken, pork, beef, butter, or fish. Or add fatty plant-based foods like olive oil, avocadoes, and nuts.

Is it possible to overdose on vitamin A?

Because vitamin A is fat-soluble, the body can store any excess amounts, most notably in the liver. Acute vitamin A toxicity, also known as hypervitaminosis A, has the potential to be fatal (typically more than 100 times the RDA). The most common signs and symptoms of this condition are a severe headache, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, aching muscles, and problems with coordination. Chronic hypervitaminosis A can be caused by taking high doses of vitamin A on a regular basis.

The Bottom Line

Vitamin A is important for the eyes, the immune system, reproduction, and fetal development.

It is important that you meet the minimum RDA for adults, but also that you do not exceed the daily upper limit of 3,000 mcg.

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is the best way to make sure your body gets enough of this important nutrient.