20 Foods High in Vitamin A

Certain fruits and vegetables, along with animal products, serve as excellent providers of vitamin A. Examples include kale, spinach, mango, and guava, as well as beef, chicken, fish, cheese, and eggs.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient important for maintaining eyesight, physical growth, immune defenses, and reproductive well-being.

Obtaining sufficient amounts through diet usually prevents vitamin A deficiency. While most people in wealthier nations consume adequate vitamin A, deficiency remains a major cause of blindness in low-income regions.

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is for males assigned at birth (MAABs), 700 mcg for females assigned at birth (FAABs), and 300–500 mcg for children and teenagers.

The RDA covers the needs of the great majority. In fact, a daily value (DV) of is used as a guideline on nutrition facts panels in the United States and Canada.

This article outlines 20 animal- and plant-based foods rich in vitamin A (retinol), including preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids like beta-carotene, which the body converts into retinol.

Which animal foods are rich in vitamin A?

Vitamin A1, commonly called retinol, is present exclusively in foods of animal origin, including oily fish, liver, cheese, and butter.

Below are several of the top animal-derived vitamin A sources.

1. Beef liver, cooked

3.5 ounces (oz), or 100 grams (g), supplies 7,740 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

2. Lamb liver, cooked

3.5 oz (100 g) provides 7,780 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

3. Liver sausage (liverwurst)

3.5 oz (100 g) contains 8,310 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

4. Cod liver oil

1 tablespoon (tbsp), or 14 g, supplies 4,080 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

For more on cod liver oil and its benefits, see 9 benefits of cod liver oil.

5. King mackerel, cooked

3.5 oz (100 g) contains 252 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

6. Salmon, cooked

3.5 oz (100 g) contains 69 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

7. Bluefin tuna, cooked

3.5 oz (100 g) contains 757 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

8. Goose liver pâté, canned

1 tbsp (13 g) contains 130 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

9. Goat cheese

1 oz (28 g) supplies 82 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

10. Butter

1 tbsp (14 g) contains 97 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

11. Limburger cheese

1 oz (28 g) contains 96 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

12. Cheddar cheese

1 oz (28 g) contains 74 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

13. Camembert cheese

1 oz (28 g) contains 68 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

14. Roquefort cheese

1 oz (28 g) contains 83 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

15. Eggs

One large (50 g) hard-boiled egg provides 75 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

16. Trout, cooked

3.5 oz (100 g) contains 100 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

17. Clams, canned

3.5 oz (100 g) contains 101 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

18. Cream cheese

1 oz (28 g) contains 87 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

19. Oysters, canned

3.5 oz (100 g) contains 98 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

20. Whole milk

1 cup (237 milliliters) contains 78 mcg of retinol, or of the DV.

Which vegetables provide vitamin A?

Your body can synthesize vitamin A from carotenoids present in plant foods.

These carotenoids include beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, collectively termed provitamin A.

However, roughly of people carry a genetic variant that markedly reduces their capacity to convert provitamin A into active vitamin A.

Depending on your genetics, the vegetables below could yield substantially less vitamin A than listed.

1. Sweet potato, baked

1 cup (200 g) contains 1,920 mcg retinol activity equivalents (RAE), or of the DV.

2. Butternut squash, baked

1 cup (205 g) contains 1,140 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

3. Kale, cooked

1 cup (118 g) contains 172 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

4. Collard greens, cooked

1 cup (190 g) contains 722 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

5. Turnip greens, cooked

1 cup (144 g) contains 549 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

6. Carrots, cooked

1 cup (155 g) contains 1,280 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

Read more about vitamin A–rich foods carrots and their beta-carotene content.

7. Sweet red pepper, raw

1 large (164 g) sweet red pepper contains 257 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

8. Swiss chard, cooked

1 cup (175 g) contains 536 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

9. Spinach, cooked

1 cup (180 g) contains 943 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

10. Romaine lettuce, raw

1 cup (47 g) contains 205 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

Which fruits contain vitamin A?

Provitamin A tends to be more concentrated in vegetables than in fruits.

Still, a handful of fruits supply notable amounts, shown below.

1. Mango

1 cup (165 g) contains 89 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

2. Cantaloupe

1 cup (160 g) contains 270 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

3. Grapefruit

Half a grapefruit (154 g) contains 89 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

4. Watermelon

1 cup (155 g) contains 43 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

5. Papaya

1 cup (165 g) contains 78 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

6. Apricot

Two apricots (70 g) contain 67 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

7. Tangerine

One tangerine (109 g) contains 37 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

8. Nectarine

One nectarine (140 g) contains 29 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

9. Guava

Two guavas (110 g) contain 34 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

10. Passion fruit

Two passion fruits (36 g) contain 23 mcg RAE, or of the DV.

Frequently asked questions

How can I boost my vitamin A intake?

You can meet your vitamin A needs by regularly consuming some of the foods listed here. Many products are also fortified with vitamin A, including certain cereals, margarine, and dairy items.

Because vitamin A is fat-soluble, it’s better absorbed when eaten with dietary fat. Most animal-based vitamin A sources are naturally higher in fat, but many plant provitamin A sources are not.

How do you improve vitamin A absorption?

Adding a small amount of oil to salads can help your body take up provitamin A from plant foods more effectively.

As noted earlier, some individuals have a genetic variation that makes converting provitamin A to vitamin A far less efficient.

For that reason, people who follow vegetarian or vegan diets may want to use supplements or ensure they consume large quantities of the fruits and vegetables listed above.

Thankfully, vitamin A–rich foods are commonly available and most are a nutritious part of a balanced diet.

What are signs of vitamin A deficiency?

Symptoms can include hair thinning, skin issues, dry eyes, difficulty seeing at night, and a higher risk of infections.

Takeaway

Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble nutrient that supports vision, growth, immune health, and reproductive function. Eating sufficient vitamin A–containing foods helps prevent deficiency.

Good vitamin A sources include vegetables like carrots and squash, fruits such as apricots and watermelon, and animal products like beef, chicken, clams, and butter.