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Almond Street Natural Foods
Your Healthy Resource Center
Health Foods Multivitamins Herbal Formulas Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements
Vitamin A, also called retinol, helps your eyes adjust to light changes
when you come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and
mucous membranes moist. Vitamin A mostly comes from animal foods, but
some plant-based foods supply beta-carotene, which your body then
converts into Vitamin A. It also has antioxidant properties that neutralize
free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.
Early information from scientific studies suggests that beta-carotene might
help people who already have Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). The
American Heart Association doesn't recommend taking supplements of
beta-carotene until more is known.
Nutritionists categorize vitamins by the materials that a vitamin will
dissolve in. There are two categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble
vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins ”vitamins A, D, E and K”are stored in the fat
tissues of the body for a few days to up to six months. If you get too
much of a fat-soluble vitamin, it can be stored in your liver and may
sometimes cause health problems. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Taking mega-doses of fat-soluble vitamins can lead to toxicity. Eating a
normal diet of foods rich in these vitamins won't cause a problem.
Remember, you only need small amounts of any vitamin. In the case of
vitamin A, overconsumption has been linked with an increased risk of
fractures in postmenopausal women.
Some health problems can make it hard for a person's body to absorb
these vitamins. If you have a chronic health condition, ask your doctor
about whether your vitamin absorption will be affected.
How Much Vitamin A Is Enough?
It's recommended that women consume 800 mcg and men consume 1000
mcg of vitamin A daily.
Sources of Vitamin A
Top sources of vitamin A include:
Beef liver
Egg yolk
Cheddar cheese
Fortified milk
Top sources of beta-carotene include:
Sweet potato
Carrots
Pumpkin
Cantaloupe
Broccoli
Apricots
Spinach and collard greens
Can You Have Too Much or Too Little?
Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the United States, but it can cause night
blindness, eye inflammation, diarrhea and other problems.
Overconsumption of vitamin A can cause nausea, irritability and blurred
vision in its mild form. In addition, the palms of the hands and the bottoms
of the feet can turn orange if a person has a high intake of Vitamin A.
Vitamin A toxicity can cause growth retardation, hair loss and enlarged
spleen and liver in its more severe form. Vitamin A overdose can also
cause birth defects and has been linked to increased risk of bone
fractures in some people.
Vitamin Storage
If you want to get the most vitamins possible from your food, refrigerate
fresh produce, and keep milk and grains away from strong light. Vitamins
are easily destroyed and washed out during food preparation and storage.
If you take vitamin supplements, store them at room temperature in a dry
place that's free of moisture.
when you come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and
mucous membranes moist. Vitamin A mostly comes from animal foods, but
some plant-based foods supply beta-carotene, which your body then
converts into Vitamin A. It also has antioxidant properties that neutralize
free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.
Early information from scientific studies suggests that beta-carotene might
help people who already have Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). The
American Heart Association doesn't recommend taking supplements of
beta-carotene until more is known.
Nutritionists categorize vitamins by the materials that a vitamin will
dissolve in. There are two categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble
vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins ”vitamins A, D, E and K”are stored in the fat
tissues of the body for a few days to up to six months. If you get too
much of a fat-soluble vitamin, it can be stored in your liver and may
sometimes cause health problems. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Taking mega-doses of fat-soluble vitamins can lead to toxicity. Eating a
normal diet of foods rich in these vitamins won't cause a problem.
Remember, you only need small amounts of any vitamin. In the case of
vitamin A, overconsumption has been linked with an increased risk of
fractures in postmenopausal women.
Some health problems can make it hard for a person's body to absorb
these vitamins. If you have a chronic health condition, ask your doctor
about whether your vitamin absorption will be affected.
How Much Vitamin A Is Enough?
It's recommended that women consume 800 mcg and men consume 1000
mcg of vitamin A daily.
Sources of Vitamin A
Top sources of vitamin A include:
Beef liver
Egg yolk
Cheddar cheese
Fortified milk
Top sources of beta-carotene include:
Sweet potato
Carrots
Pumpkin
Cantaloupe
Broccoli
Apricots
Spinach and collard greens
Can You Have Too Much or Too Little?
Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the United States, but it can cause night
blindness, eye inflammation, diarrhea and other problems.
Overconsumption of vitamin A can cause nausea, irritability and blurred
vision in its mild form. In addition, the palms of the hands and the bottoms
of the feet can turn orange if a person has a high intake of Vitamin A.
Vitamin A toxicity can cause growth retardation, hair loss and enlarged
spleen and liver in its more severe form. Vitamin A overdose can also
cause birth defects and has been linked to increased risk of bone
fractures in some people.
Vitamin Storage
If you want to get the most vitamins possible from your food, refrigerate
fresh produce, and keep milk and grains away from strong light. Vitamins
are easily destroyed and washed out during food preparation and storage.
If you take vitamin supplements, store them at room temperature in a dry
place that's free of moisture.
Vitamin A