Carrots really do help you see in the dark!

Let's have a wee chat about vitamin A today. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is essential for normal development and growth. The daily recommended nutrient intake for vitamin A is 700 mg per day for males and 600 mg for females.

Vitamin A can be obtained in two forms:

• Preformed retinol ; found in animal derived foods such as liver, whole milk, cheese and butter.

• Carotenoids which are mainly plant derived and can be converted into retinol in the body. Examples of these are carrots, orange coloured fruits such as mango and apricot.

Roles of vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential to the normal structure and function of the skin and mucous membranes such as eyes, lungs and digestive system. Therefore it is vital for vision, embryonic development and growth and for the immune system. So it is true that those carrots which are rich in vitamin A, do really help you see in the dark!

Since vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin and is therefore stored in the body, it can be acutely and chronically toxic in excess. This toxicity rarely occurs due to excess vitamin A in the diet and more commonly due to excess consumption of vitamin A supplements and medication.

Thanks for reading!