Vitamin A For Health And Beauty

Vitamin A acts as an antioxidant that helps the cells to fight off diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. It lowers cholesterol levels and slows down the ageing process.

Used as a crème vitamin A reduces fine lines in skin and helps fade age spots. It also helps skin disorders such as acne.

This vitamin prevents night blindness and other eye problems. It enhances immunity and is needed for skin and mucous membranes. It is also an aid in fat storage and protects against colds, flu and infections of the kidneys, lungs, bladder and mucous membranes. Protein can not be utilised by the body without vitamin A.

Broccoli is a good source for vitamin A. Photo by lockstockb, www.sxc.hu.

Vitamin A deficiencies:
- Dry hair and/or skin;
- Dryness of conjunctiva and cornea;
- Poor growth and/or night blindness;
- Abscesses in the ears;
- Insomnia;
- Fatigue;
- Reproductive difficulties;
- Sinusitis;
- Pneumonia;
- Frequent colds;
- Skin disorders;
- Weight loss.

Sources of vitamin A:
- liver (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish) (21649 μg/IU 433%);
- sweet potato (20870 μg/IU 417%);
- carrot (16705 μg/IU 334%);
- broccoli leaf (800 μg 89%);
- kale (681 μg 76%);
- butter (684 μg 76%);
- spinach (469 μg 52%);
- leafy vegetables;
- pumpkin (369 μg 41%);
- collard greens (333 μg 37%);
- cantaloupe melon (169 μg 19%);
- egg (140 μg 16%);
- apricot (96 μg 11%);
- papaya (55 μg 6%);
- mango (38 μg 4%);
- pea (38 μg 4%);
- broccoli (31 μg 3%);
- winter squash.

Apricots contains vitamin A. Photo by el800cao, www.sxc.hu.

Sources: G&G newsletter; Wikipedia.org.