6 Foods With More Vitamin A Than Butternut Squash

One cup (140 grams) of raw butternut squash contains 745 micrograms of vitamin A, or more than 82% of the daily value (DV). Vitamin A helps keep your eyes, heart and lungs healthy. It also supports your immune system. However, there are other foods that contain much more vitamin A per serving than butternut squash.

• Vitamin A content: 8020 micrograms, 891% of the daily value (DV)
• Serving size: 3 ounces (85 grams) cooked beef liver

Beef liver is the best source of vitamin A. One serving essentially contains seven times the required serving of vitamin A.

That said, liver is nutritious but high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Eating it often can increase blood lipid levels, especially in people with heart disease. Additionally, consuming too much vitamin A can lead to liver damage, bone problems, and other health problems.

• Vitamin A content: 2290 micrograms, 254% of the DV
• Serving size: 1 cup (240 grams)

The vitamin A in carrot juice is present in the form of carotenoids, which are not dangerous in high doses, unlike preformed retinol.

You can also get plenty of vitamins by eating raw carrots. A serving of two medium carrots provides 1,018 micrograms of vitamin A, or 113% of the DV.

• Vitamin A content: 1920 micrograms, 213% of the DV
• Serving size: 1 cup (200 grams), cooked

The vitamin A in sweet potatoes also comes in the form of carotenoids, like carrots, so you can eat it in large quantities without it being harmful to you. Sweet potatoes are also incredibly versatile and can be eaten in many forms. So it should be easy to add them as a source of vitamin A to your diet.

• Vitamin A content: 950, 100% of DV
• Serving size: 1/2 cup (122 grams)

Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A, mainly because of its high concentration of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body converts into vitamin A.

When buying canned pumpkin, opt for 100% pumpkin with no added sugar. Pumpkin, like sweet potatoes, is also incredibly versatile and can be added to your diet in many creative ways.

• Vitamin A content: 969 micrograms, 107% of DV
• Serving size: 3 ounces (85 grams), cooked

Eel is an excellent source of vitamin A. Although the vitamin A content of eel can vary, raw and cooked eel consistently exhibit high levels, making it a nutritious food for everyone, regardless of how they consume it.

• Vitamin A content: 865 micrograms, 96% of the DV
• Serving size: 1 cup (140 grams), cooked

The high vitamin A content in mustard greens comes primarily from beta-carotene and other carotenoids, not preformed retinol.

Vitamin A plays many roles in the body, including:

• Helping you see in the dark: You need vitamin A to make rhodopsin, a protein that aids vision in low light conditions. Vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness.
• Support the immune system: Vitamin A helps your body defend itself against infections.
• Support antioxidant systems: It helps your body protect itself against cellular damage.
• Maintain healthy skin and mucous membranes: Vitamin A helps keep the skin and mucous membranes of the lungs, digestive tract and urinary tract healthy and moist, reducing the risk of infections. A deficiency can lead to dry skin and poor wound healing.