Vitamin A

The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is the vitamin used as a standard in nutrition labeling of foods. The 1989 RDA for women 19 to 50 years of age is 800 Retinol Equivalents (RE) and 1,000 Retinol Equivalents (RE) for men 19 to 50 years of age. Children, pregnant and lactating women need more. A good source of vitamin A contributes at least 10 percent of the U.S. RDA in a selected serving size.

Vitamin A is important for many reasons:

• It helps the eyes adjust to dim light
• It helps keep the lining of the mouth, nose, throat, and digestive tract healthy and resistant to infection
• It promotes growth
• It assists in the formation and maintenance of the skin, bones, teeth and many other body tissues

How to Prepare Foods to Retain Vitamin A

Vitamin A can be lost from foods during preparation, cooking, or storage. To retain vitamin A:

• Fruits and vegetable should be served raw whenever possible
• Vegetables and fruits should be kept covered and refrigerated during storage (except for sweet potatoes and winter squash)
• Vegetables should be steamed and meats should be braised, baked or boiled instead of fried. Some vitamin A is lost in the fat during frying.

Dietary Sources:

Eating a variety of foods that contain vitamin A is the best way to get an adequate amount. Healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely need supplements. In fact, too much vitamin A can be toxic. The chart on the back of this page compares foods from each season of the year that are rich sources of Vitamin A. Most of these