𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 A𝐧𝐝 F𝐨𝐨𝐝 S𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 O𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐀

The last of the group of fat-soluble vitamins is vitamin A. It is a nutrient that is necessary but only in minute quantities.

𝑽𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝑨 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅: 

Dietary vitamin A comes from two different sources. Animal products provide active forms that are instantly available to the body. Retinal and retinol are examples of these "retinoids." Fruits and vegetables that contain carotenoids, which are pigments that are yellow, orange, and dark green, provide precursors, often referred to as provitamins, which the body must then transform into active forms. Beta-carotene is the most popular one.

Retinol Equivalents and micrograms (mcg) are both used to measure vitamin A. ( RE ). 6.0 mcg of beta-carotene or 1.0 mcg of retinol.

Vitamin A is shielded from chemical alterations in the gut by vitamin E.

The liver is where vitamin A is kept. The liver releases Vitamin A when it is needed by a specific area of the body, and the blood then transports it to the relevant cells and tissues.

Uses of vitamin A.

Uses for vitamin A include normal bone development, reproduction, and the health of the skin and mucous membrane, the mucus-secreting layer that lines body cavities like the respiratory tract. Vitamin A is also crucial for vision, especially night vision, normal bone growth, and reproduction.

Additionally, vitamin A functions as an antioxidant in the body, a defence mechanism that may lower the chance of developing some malignancies.

Vitamin A deficiency: 

In many developing nations, a diet deficient in vitamin A is common, with pregnant women and infants being the most frequently affected. 

Night Blindness.

Vitamin A deficiency is linked to night blindness, or the inability to see clearly in low light. The production of rhodopsin requires this vitamin. This pigment can be found in the retina, the tissue lining the back of the eye that is light-sensitive.

Rhodopsin regeneration is incomplete in the absence of sufficient retinol, which results in night blindness. The adage that eating carrots can improve night vision is true because they are a good source of beta-carotene.

Other warning signs and symptoms include slow wound healing, issues with child growth, and follicular hyperkeratosis, which causes dry, bumpy skin rashes. The healthy operation of mucous membranes throughout the body may also be impacted by vitamin A.

Men should consume 700 mcg of vitamin A daily, while women should consume 600 mcg.

Food sources of vitamin A: 

Retinol, also known as vitamin A 1, is only present in foods derived from animals, such as oily fish, liver, cheese, and butter.

Excellent sources of vitamin A 1 include liver (lamb), sausages, cod liver oil, king mackerel, salmon, tuna, trout, goose liver pate, goat's cheese, camembert cheese, Roquefort cheese, blue cheese, feta cheese, cream cheese, caviar, and boiled eggs.

Provitamin A-rich vegetables: 

Carotenoids, are found in plants and can be converted by the body into Vitamin A. The following foods are excellent sources of provitamin A: romaine lettuce, sweet potatoes, winter squash, kale, collards, turnip greens, carrots, sweet red peppers, butternut squash, cabbage, and carrots.

Mango, cantaloupe, pink or red grapefruit, watermelon, papaya, apricot, tangerine, nectarine, guava, and passion fruit are a few fruits that are rich in provitamin A.