I love my fruits and veggies! I hope you do too because there's a reason why our parents keep telling us to eat our fruits and vegetables. They have a point, and no, it's not to torture us.
We all know, or should know, that they are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that aid in eye sight, bone structure, and body systems.
Vitamin A is used in three active forms in the body: retinoic acid, retinal, and retinol. The latter of the three is the most frequent form in the body.
Carotenoids, provitamins (inactive forms of vitamins that can be converted into usable forms), are the precursors to Vitamin A. Beta-carotene produces the most Vitamin A!
Vitamin A not only helps with our eye sight, but it also helps with cell differentiation, immune function, reproduction, and bone health!
It is recommended that we get 700 micrograms (for females) and 900 micrograms (for males) of Vitamin A, and as you can see, these levels are really small. That's because our bodies are able to store it when we don't need it. It's a good idea to replenish our supplies every 2-3 days.
Good sources of Vitamin A are from animal sources (preformed Vitamin A) and sources of carotenoids are fruits and veggies! The best sources are dark-green and yellow orange vegetables like carrots, spinach, broccoli, squash, sweet potatoes, and fruits like cantaloupes, peaches, apricots, and mangos.
Deficiencies in Vitamin A are rare, but do occur. Just make sure you get enough! (:
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