Did you ever wonder about the best vegan sources of vitamin A? If so, then you are at the right place. We have gathered interesting facts about vegetables high in vitamin A, which you need to include in your daily diet.
Have a look at these ways on how to get vitamin A through vegetables and other plant-based sources. By doing so, you can prevent yourself from being vitamin A deficient by eating the right kind of food your body needs.
Best Vegan Sources Of Vitamin A
First of all, why do you need vitamin A?
This is an important nutrient that helps to promote overall health such as good eyesight, stronger immune system, healthy skin, protection from infections, viruses, and so on.
Preformed vitamin A or retinol is often obtained from animal products. These include yogurt, cheese, milk, and eggs. Thus, those who are following a plant-based diet are unable to get this easily.
On the other hand, there’s the provitamin A, which is also called carotenoid. These are sourced from vegetables and fruits such as carrots, sweet potato, squash, and other yellow or orange-colored fresh produce.
When it comes to the amount of vitamin A you need, it varies depending on the gender. Men, for instance, need about 0.7 mg of vitamin A daily. As for women, it is 0.6 mg per day. Considering the fact that vitamin A can be obtained from plants, specifically provitamin A, then it should not be hard to get your daily dose of this nutrient.
Vegetables High In Vitamin A
There are many sources of vitamin A suitable for vegans. These include vegetables such as carrots, kale, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli.
In addition, there are fruits rich in vitamin A including dried apricots, cantaloupe, red peppers, tomatoes, and papaya.
As long as the food is bright orange in color or yellow, purple, or red, then these are most certainly good sources of beta carotene. The same holds true for leafy greens such as romaine, spinach, collard greens, kale, and mustard greens.
Important Facts About Vitamin A For Vegans
By following a balanced diet, you can absolutely get your daily dose of vitamin A from food. It is best to include a mix of vegetables and fruits that are packed with vitamin A, along with other key nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
You may, for example, prepare a vegan lasagna that comes with a tomato base. As tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, you can even increase the vitamin A level by adding some red peppers and carrots. You can also do this when making vegan pizza and spaghetti.
In some cases, supplementation may be a necessity when you are not getting enough vitamin A from the food you eat. However, you should make it a point to consume vitamin A-rich plant-based foods, which is not really hard to find. Go for yellow, orange, red, purple colored foods, for your daily vitamin A supply.