# Vitamin A: what it is, what it does, how much people need
Canonical: https://nutritionizm.com/nutrients/vitamin-a/
Source: US FDA Daily Value table, WHO healthy diet fact sheet, USDA FoodData Central
License: USDA FoodData Central values are public domain (CC0 1.0); Nutritionizm compilation and plain-language text are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (attribution: link to Canonical URL).

Vitamin A is a vitamin that dissolves in fat.

## What it is

Vitamin A is a vitamin your body stores mainly in the liver. It is measured in micrograms in many foods. It comes from foods like liver, eggs and dairy. It also comes from orange and green vegetables.

## What it does

It helps your eyes see in dim light. It helps skin and other tissues stay healthy. It helps your body to fight off germs. It helps your cells grow and repair themselves.

## How much people need

- FDA Daily Value for vitamin A (retinol activity equivalents): 900 mcg. It is a reference amount used on Nutrition Facts labels, not a personal target. Source: [US FDA](https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels).

## Common myths

- **Myth:** Eating lots of carrots gives you perfect night vision. **Truth:** Carrots help eyes but do not give perfect vision.
- **Myth:** Vitamin A only comes from animal foods. **Truth:** Plants such as carrots and sweet potatoes have a form the body can turn into vitamin A.

## Sources and background

The sections on what it is, what it does and the myths are general background from [NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin A fact sheet](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/), checked on 29 October 2026. The intake figures above carry their own sources.

## Top foods (ug per 100 g)

- [Carrot](https://nutritionizm.com/food/carrots-raw/): 835 ug
- [Butter](https://nutritionizm.com/food/butter-salted/): 684 ug
- [Turnip Greens](https://nutritionizm.com/food/turnip-greens-raw/): 579 ug
- [Spinach](https://nutritionizm.com/food/spinach-raw/): 469 ug
- [Romaine Lettuce](https://nutritionizm.com/food/lettuce-cos-or-romaine-raw/): 436 ug
- [Pumpkin](https://nutritionizm.com/food/pumpkin-raw/): 426 ug
- [Heavy Cream](https://nutritionizm.com/food/cream-fluid-heavy-whipping/): 411 ug
- [Swiss Chard](https://nutritionizm.com/food/chard-swiss-raw/): 306 ug