Products with vitamin A
When planning your daily diet, it is important to include foods that contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals. People who eat low-fat foods and exclusively plant foods have a high risk of not getting enough vitamin A. It is found in animal products. The component is responsible for the absorption of other vitamins, increasing the body's defenses, and restoring damage to the epidermis.
Benefits of Vitamin A
The vitamin, whose second name is retinol, belongs to fat-soluble compounds. It takes part in oxidative and reduction reactions, is necessary for the formation of new dental, bone, and adipose tissue, and slows down the processes of natural aging. The component is required for the normal functioning of the immune system and helps in the fight against infectious diseases.
Vitamin A is required for the regeneration of skin and mucous membranes. It promotes rapid healing of cracks, wounds, removal and reducing irritation and inflammation. A synthetic analogue of retinol is actively used in cosmetology. The product is effective for sun burns and cuts. It activates collagen production and improves the density of new tissues.
The component is required for the normal development of embryos, obtaining adequate nutrition for the fetus and reducing the risk of complications during pregnancy. It prevents diseases of the heart system, arteries, and increases the level of “good” cholesterol.
The vitamin activates the barrier functions of mucous membranes and increases the activity of leukocytes. It helps prevent colds, flu and respiratory diseases. The component is required for photoreception, the normal functioning of the visual analyzer, takes part in the production of visual pigment in the retina and the perception of light fluxes by the eyes.
Vitamin A reduces the production of thyroid hormones, lung function, and takes part in the synthesis of steroid hormones and spermatogenesis. In combination with b-carotene, the component has a strong antioxidant effect and is used to prevent the appearance of cancerous tumors and relapses. Components protect cell membranes brain from the negative effects of free radicals. The substance activates the functioning of the gonads, active formation of sperm and eggs occurs.
The daily requirement for this vitamin is approximately 3300 IU. If therapeutic effects are necessary or in the process of bearing a child, the rate is increased to 10,000 IU. You can get this vitamin from animal products with orange-red pigments. With a chronic lack of this vitamin in the diet, the body's immune forces decrease, the skin and hair become dry.
What foods contain vitamin A?
The vitamin has the ability to accumulate in the body, so its reserves can support normal metabolic processes during periods when there is no intake from food. Only 30% of beta-carotene is absorbed from plant foods, half of which is converted into vitamin A in the small intestine. The component is absorbed twice as well from animal products. The vitamin is almost not destroyed during heat treatment, but quickly oxidizes in air.
The maximum amount of this vitamin is found in:
- chicken eggs;
- liver cod and halibut;
- butter;
- fish caviar;
- cheeses;
- pork and beef liver;
- kidneys;
- whole milk products;
- fermented milk products with a fat content of more than 5%.
From plant foods you should prefer:
If you can’t diversify your diet, you can fill your daily requirement with complex vitamin supplements. However, we should not forget that an overdose of this vitamin is dangerous to health and may cause intoxication of the body. Do not take supplements during antibiotic treatment.
