Vitamin A - good sources of nutrients - pamphlet

This is one in a series of fact sheets containing information to help you select foods that provide adequate daily amounts of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber as you follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Guidelines are--

* Eat a variety of Foods
* Maintain Desirable Weight
* Avoid Too much Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol
* Eat Foods with Adequate Starch and Fiber
* Avoid Too Much Sugar
* Avoid Too Much Sodium
* If you Drink Alcoholic Beverages, Do So in Moderation

What Is Meant By Good Food Source?

A good food source of vitamin A contains a substantial amount of vitamin A and/or carotenes (converted to vitamin A in the body) in relation to its calorie content and contributes at least 10 percent of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (U.S. RDA) for vitamin A in a selected serving size or a unit of measure considered easy for the consumer to use. The U.S. RDA for vitamin A is 1,000 retinol equivalents per day.

The U.S. RDA for vitamin A is the amount of the vitamin used as a standard in nutrition labeling of foods. This allowance is based on the 1968 Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for 24 sex-age categories set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences. The 1989 RDA has been set at 800 retinol equivalents per day for women 19 to 50 years of age and 1000 retinol equivalents for men 19 to 50 years of age.

As you can see, in 1985 and 1986, 33 percent of the vitamin A (including carotenes) in the diets of women came from fruits and vegetables. Dark-green vegetables and deep-yellow fruits and vegetables provided about half of the vitamin A in the form of carotenes coming from this group. Grain products and milk and milk products each supplied about 20 percent of the vitamin A consumed. Foods that contain small amounts of vitamin A but are not considered good sources can contribute significant amounts of vitamin A to an individual's diet if these foods are eaten often or in large amounts.

Why do We Need Vitamin A?

Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, is involved in the formation and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. Vitamin A helps us to see in dim light and is necessary for proper bone growth, tooth development, and reproduction.

Do We Get Enough Vitamin A?

According to recent USDA surveys, the average intake of vitamin A (and carotenes) by women and men 19 to 50 years of age met the RDA for vitamin A.

How Can We Get Enough Vitamin A

Eating a variety of foods that contain vitamin A (and carotenes) 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 list of foods will help you select those that are good sources of vitamin A as you follow the Dietary Guidelines. The list of good sources was derived from the same nutritive value of foods tables used to analyze information for recent food consumption surveys of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Service.