nutrient
Retinol
A preformed vitamin A retinoid found mainly in animal-derived foods and used in vitamin A biology.
Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status
Retinol can be esterified for storage and oxidised to retinal and retinoic acid. It is not the same dietary form as beta-carotene.
Food sources
Per 100 g| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Oat milk, unsweetened and refrigerated | 84.7 µg |
| Cottage cheese, 2% fat | 69 µg |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018) | 69 µg |
| Soy milk, unsweetened and shelf-stable | 58.2 µg |
| Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified | 58 µg |
Show 8 more foods
| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 58 µg |
| Plain whole-milk yogurt | 48.2 µg |
| Salmon | 42.8 µg |
| Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018) | 32 µg |
| Rainbow trout, wild, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 19 µg |
| Braised chicken drumstick | 7 µg |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw | 2.15 µg |
| Greek yogurt, plain nonfat | 1 µg |
About these amounts
These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.
Portions recorded by the source
- Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 151.8 µg.
- Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified: 1 cup (246 g) — 142.68 µg.
- Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 7.28 µg.
- Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 1.56 µg.
The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.
How it works
What the form means
Retinol is the reference preformed vitamin A form. The body stores much of it in the liver and converts it to active metabolites as needed; high supplemental preformed vitamin A has a different safety profile from provitamin A carotenoids.
Forms
Retinol is a form of Vitamin A.
Retinol is a named chemical form within its parent vitamin family.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Worth knowing
Preformed vitamin A. Retinol is preformed vitamin A, found mainly in foods such as liver, fish, eggs and dairy. It enters vitamin A biology directly, unlike plant provitamin A carotenoids that must first be converted.
The label can name a storage form. Some foods and supplements provide retinyl esters rather than free retinol. They are vitamin A forms that are released and converted to retinol during digestion and absorption.
A closer look
Why labels use vitamin A equivalents
Retinol activity equivalents account for the different vitamin A activity of retinol, supplemental beta-carotene and dietary beta-carotene. Equal weights of retinol and a plant carotenoid do not supply equal vitamin A activity.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (opens in new tab)Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (opens in new tab)Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData CentralChecked 2026-09-04
Take it into the kitchen
Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.
Pepper & feta breakfast pan · 15 min →
Curried egg cucumber sandwich · 20 min →
Spinach scramble on toast · 12 min →
Compare meals by retinol →