nutrient
Vitamin A
A fat-soluble vitamin family needed for vision, cell differentiation and immune function.
Vitamin A includes preformed retinoids and provitamin A carotenoids. The body handles these forms differently, so the source and chemical form matter when interpreting a label.
What it does
Retinal participates in the visual cycle, while retinoic acid regulates gene expression involved in cell growth and differentiation. Vitamin A also supports normal immune barriers and immune-cell function.
Where it comes from
Liver, dairy and eggs provide preformed vitamin A; orange, red and dark-green plants provide provitamin A carotenoids. Conversion from carotenoids varies with food and individual context.
Food sources
Per 100 g| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 469 µg |
| Spinach | 283 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 |
Show 9 more foods
| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified | 58 µg |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 58 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 |
| Almonds, dry-roasted and salted | 2 µg |
| Hummus, commercial | 1 µg |
| Greek yogurt, plain nonfat | 1 µg |
| Banana, ripe, raw | 1 µg |
USDA reports Vitamin A as retinol activity equivalents (RAE); RE and RAE are not converted here.
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.
Healthy European adults; women / men. Population reference intake: 650–750 µg/day. These are population references, not individual targets.
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.
- Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 2.7 µg.
- Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 0.34 µg.
- Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 1.56 µg.
The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.
Forms
Retinol is a form of Vitamin A.
Retinol is a named chemical form within its parent vitamin family.
Roles and processes
Vitamin A supports normal function of Immune function
Vitamin A is involved in normal immune function. This established role does not mean extra vitamin A improves immunity when intake is adequate.
Related topics
Beta-carotene can be converted into Vitamin A
Beta-carotene is a provitamin A carotenoid that the body can convert into vitamin A.
Worth knowing
Why vitamin A uses equivalents. Vitamin A amounts combine contributions from preformed vitamin A and some plant carotenoids. Retinol equivalents (RE) and US retinol activity equivalents (RAE) use different conversion rules, so the unit matters when comparing amounts.
A closer look
Beta-carotene and pregnancy safety
Excess preformed vitamin A can damage the liver and cause birth defects during pregnancy. High-dose beta-carotene also has specific risks: trials found more lung cancer among smokers receiving it, including a trial combining beta-carotene with retinyl palmitate in current and former smokers. Supplement use needs particular care with pregnancy or retinoid medicines.
Storage and conversion are separate layers
Most body vitamin A is stored in the liver as retinyl esters, while retinol can be oxidised to retinal and retinoic acid. This storage biology is why a single plasma value is an incomplete picture of total reserves.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.
- NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsVitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
- European Food Safety AuthorityDietary Reference Values for nutrients: Summary reportChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- European Food Safety AuthorityScientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesiumChecked 2026-09-04
- NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsMagnesium: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-04
- USDA Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData CentralChecked 2026-09-04
Take it into the kitchen
Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.
Banana & peanut oats · 8 min →
Apple & walnut porridge · 10 min →
All 40 easy meals →