5 Foods with More Vitamin A Than a Carrot

Parents and teachers were on to something when they urged us to eat our carrots for better eyesight. This so-called super power of crunchy orange carrots comes from vitamin A, a fat-soluble essential vitamin. 

In one large carrot, you’ll find 601 micrograms or 67% of the recommended daily value (DV) of vitamin A, per the USDA. But its benefits go far beyond eyesight. Vitamin A supports everything from a strong immune system to reproductive health and healthy function of the heart, lungs and other organs. 

- Advertisement -

But if you’re not a fan of carrots, don’t worry, there are plenty of other foods you can turn to for an even bigger boost of vitamin A. Animal-based foods like meat, eggs and fish contain pre-formed vitamin A, while many fruits and vegetables are rich in pro-vitamin A compounds, including beta-carotene and other carotenoids, which also have antioxidant benefits. Your body converts carotenoids into usable vitamin A, making both plants and animals valuable sources. To embrace variety in your diet, here are five foods with more vitamin A than a carrot. 

1. Beef Liver

One slice (81g) of pan-fried beef liver = 6,270 micrograms.

One of the best sources of vitamin A is beef liver, with 697 percent of the recommended DV in just one slice. If you think you’re not a liver fan, Grilled Liver Kebobs are a fun and flavorful way to give this organ meat a try. 

Cattle, like humans, store fat-soluble vitamin A in the liver, so eating beef liver is an easy and effective way to get a big vitamin A boost. While we need to get vitamin A in our diet, too much can be toxic. Since the tolerable upper limit for pre-formed vitamin A from both food sources and supplements is 3,000 micrograms, limit beef liver to an occasional part of your eating pattern and use caution when combining vitamin A supplements with frequent intake of beef liver.

2. Sweet Potato

One medium baked sweet potato with skin (114g) = 1,100 micrograms vitamin A.

Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, vitamin C and have quite a bit more vitamin A than a carrot. Thanks to their naturally sweet flavor and creamy texture, it’s easy to enjoy sweet potatoes in everything from a simple roasted side dish to a sweet potato bread pudding for dessert. 

Unlike preformed vitamin A from animal products and many supplements, the vitamin A in sweet potatoes comes from beta-carotene. The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A as needed, making it a non-toxic source, even at high intakes. The only potential side effect of high doses is carotenodermia, a harmless condition where the skin takes on a yellow-orange hue.

3. Spinach

One cup boiled spinach (180g) = 943 micrograms vitamin A.

As far as leafy greens go, spinach may be one of the most popular and easiest to eat. Its mild flavor and tender bite make it a perfect addition to smoothies or wellness shots, quiches or as the base of a simple spinach salad. 

While spinach is naturally rich in vitamin A, how you prepare it affects how much your body can absorb. While steaming raw spinach results in a higher amount of vitamin A available to you, boiling and microwaving lead to some nutrient loss. Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, enjoying a side of sauteed spinach prepared with a little olive or avocado oil can help your body absorb more. 

4. Pumpkin

One-half cup canned pumpkin = 955 micrograms vitamin A.

Another orange-hued vegetable topping the list! Canned pumpkin takes center stage from August to November as pumpkin recipes become the unofficial food of fall. While it’s the perfect creamy base for pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin is also a good source of vitamin A, fiber and vitamin K. 

If you typically reserve canned pumpkin for sweet recipes like pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice lattes, don’t forget about all the savory ways to use this creamy orange vegetable by adding it to a protein-packed Turkey Pumpkin Chili or Gnocchi with Bacon & Creamy Pumpkin Sauce. 

5. Tuna

Three ounces of cooked bluefin tuna =  643 micrograms of vitamin A.

While most tuna and fatty fish are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, bluefin tuna has 42 times the amount of vitamin A as the same amount of skipjack tuna. In one three-ounce serving, you’ll also get 1.4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of DHA and EPA. These are two types of fatty acids that support healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.

Bluefin tuna can be included as one of the two to three-servings of seafood recommended each week by the USDA, FDA, EPA and several health-related organizations.  It’s an easy protein to include in any meal with recipes like grilled tuna steaks, tuna sandwiches or an easy tuna salad. 

The Bottom Line

Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that supports a strong immune system, eye health, reproductive health and more. Carrots are an incredible source of vitamin A, but many other foods—including both plant and animal foods—contain even more. 

Fruits and vegetables, particularly ones with rich orange and green hues, are rich in pro-vitamin A carotenoids, which the body converts into a usable form of vitamin A.  Animal-based foods, including liver and bluefin tuna, provide preformed vitamin A, which is readily absorbed and used in the body.  Since vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, pairing vitamin A-rich foods with a healthy fat source like olive oil, nuts or avocado, can help you absorb the most from food.