Welcome to my series on Essential Vitamins and Minerals!!
I decided to do this series because I have had several people reach out to me asking me all sorts of questions about supplements and what basic vitamins they should be taking daily. It's confusing! It is so hard to know fact from fiction with all the "deficiency" crazes and miss information thrown in our direction. I am hoping this series will help everyone understand that it's not so much about getting exact amounts! It's about eating a balanced diet and getting a little bit of everything in every day!
Above is a chart of the 22 Essential Vitamins and Minerals. Some of these you will have heard of before, some you will not have, and some I am sure you are probably scratching your head over because Copper is a metal right! Why would we need that? When reading this chart please also keep in mind that I have combined the B Vitamins because there are 8 that we should all be getting but they are a complex system that has to work together so they will get their own GIANT post. Today is brought to you by the letter A!
What is Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is a blanket term for Retinoids. It is found in both Plants and Animal products, though it is worth noting that Vitamin A in animal products is a secondary source, is only fat soluble, and is only in the muscle and fat tissue because the animal itself ate Vitamin A rich plants such as grass.
Vitamin A in the form of Fruits and Veggies is in the form of Pro-vitamin A, also known are Carotenoids. These carotenoids are converted by the body into usable retinoids. The human body makes all the Vitamin A it needs from these carotenoids. Plant Based Vitamin A is water soluble, which means that they do not easily over accumulate in the human body so toxicity is very rare. Plants naturally produce the most pure form of Vitamin A, which means you absorb more Vitamin A per calorie from eating plants than you do from eating animals.
Animal based Vitamin A is fat soluble in the form of retinoic acid, retinal, and retinol. In order for your body to absorb animal based Vitamin A you need to eat it with healthy fats such as olive oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, ect. These retinoids are bio-available to us through stores in our own tissues, so too much Animal Derived Vitamin A can build up in the body and become toxic.
Taking too much Vitamin A in some forms can be toxic. Avoid taking supplemental Vitamin A as a retinol or retinoic acid, and instead use a plant-derived Vitamin A such as beta-carotene (make sure you read the ingredients to find the source the Vitamin A is coming from). You should also avoid concentrated animal sources of Vitamin A such as cod liver oil.
Why Do We Need Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is vital for our:
- Visual Health
- Bone Growth
- Reproductive Health
- Immune System Health
- Helps the skin and mucous membranes repel bacteria and viruses more effectively
Vitamin A deficiency is incredibly rare in developed countries. However indicators that you may be Vitamin A deficient are sudden night blindness, spots in your peripheral vision, extremely dry eyes, sudden poor thyroid function, diarrhea, and chronic respiratory issues (especially in children).
Vegetarian Sources of Vitamin A
*** = Excellent Source
** = Very Good Source
* = Good Source
*** Red Peppers
*** Hot Chili Peppers
*** Romaine Lettuce
*** Green Leaf Lettuce
*** Kale
*** Spinach
*** Mustard Greens
*** Collard Greens
*** Swiss Chard
*** Cantaloupe
*** Sweet Potatoes
*** Carrots
** Asparagus
** Broccoli
** Pumpkin
** Butternut Squash
** Papaya
** Mango
* Apricots
* Grapefruit
* Tomato
* Watermelon
* Plums
* Tangerines
* Nectarines
* Guava
* Passion fruit
Do I Need To Take A Vitamin A Supplement?
Most likely not! If you eat Red, Orange, Yellow, and/or Dark Green fruits and veggies daily you are getting all the Vitamin A you need. However, if you do decide to take a Vitamin A supplement, make sure that it is a plant derived source such as Beta-Carotene. When I my body was having issues absorbing vitamins and minerals I took a beta-carotene supplement for Vitamin A and it worked great! Because plant based Vitamin A is water soluble, it is very unlikely that it will build up in your system and become toxic! Vitamin A supplements that are retinol or retonoic derived sources are only fat soluble and can build up in your system and become toxic! Please make sure you read the labels!
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