Foods High in Vitamin A (RAE): Top Sources and Daily Needs

Vitamin A (RAE) Foods high in vitamin A (RAE) and how much you need · Fat soluble vitamins

Women, a day

650 µg

Men, a day

750 µg

Foods that have it

990

Daily intake for healthy adults. For a lightly active 30-year-old: a 65 kg woman and an 80 kg man.

Plant foods have little vitamin A (RAE), so it comes mostly from animal foods. The richest are liver; eel and kefir, lowfat, plain, 1%.

Foods highest in vitamin A (RAE)

Ranked from 990 foods in our catalog, one entry per food. % of daily is for a healthy adult.

1

Liver, boiled 22,079 µg

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes 3,397% of daily
2

Roasted liver 21,299 µg

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes 3,277% of daily
3

Duck, domesticated, liver, raw 10,186 µg

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes 1,567% of daily
4

Eel 2,750 µg

serving (110 g) · Fish 423% of daily
5

Lamprey, smoked 1,375 µg

serving (55 g) · Fish products 212% of daily
6

Carrot, fried 689 µg

serving (85 g) · Cooked vegetables 106% of daily
7

Kale 651 µg

serving (85 g) · Vegetables 100% of daily
8

Sweet potato, fried 649 µg

serving (85 g) · Cooked vegetables 100% of daily
9

Sweet potato fries, oven-baked 553 µg

serving (70 g) · Cooked vegetables 85% of daily
10

Dandelion, leaf 430 µg

serving (85 g) · Vegetables 66% of daily
11

Kefir, lowfat, plain, 1% 410 µg

serving (240 g) · Soured milks 63% of daily
12

Lettuce, cos or romaine 371 µg

serving (85 g) · Vegetables 57% of daily
13

European sprat 304 µg

serving (110 g) · Fish 47% of daily
14

Cheese, home-made cheese, 9-14% fat 279 µg

serving (110 g) · Cheese, unripened, fresh cheese 43% of daily
15

Goji berry, dried 269 µg

serving (40 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits 41% of daily
16

Rose hip 261 µg

serving (50 g) · Berries 40% of daily
17

Croissant, home-made 200 µg

serving (55 g) · Savoury bakery 31% of daily
18

Sea buckthorn, dried, sea buckthorn powder 168 µg

serving (40 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits 26% of daily
19

Sea buckthorn juice 162 µg

serving (240 g) · Juices 25% of daily
20

Plantains, green 158 µg

serving (140 g) · Fruits 24% of daily
21

Yoghurt, turkish/greek, 10% fat 154 µg

serving (170 g) · Yoghurt 24% of daily
22

Sharon, kaki, persimon 150 µg

serving (140 g) · Fruits 23% of daily
23

Egg, organic, fried 150 µg

large (50 g) · Egg 23% of daily
24

Egg yolk 148 µg

large (17 g) · Egg 23% of daily
25

Mollusks, clam, mixed species, cooked, moist heat 145 µg

serving (85 g) · Crustaceans and molluscs 22% of daily
26

Milk, goat milk 128 µg

serving (240 g) · Milks >2% fat 20% of daily
27

Margarine 80%, cooking margarine, average 126 µg

tbsp (14 g) · Cooking and industrial fat 19% of daily
28

Chanterelle, fried 126 µg

serving (85 g) · Mushroom 19% of daily
29

Processed cheese, 27-35% fat 114 µg

serving (55 g) · Processed cheese 18% of daily
30

Passion-fruit juice, yellow 113 µg

serving (240 g) · Juices 17% of daily
31

Sour cream, 40% fat 111 µg

serving (30 g) · Fermented milk products, other 17% of daily
32

Butter oil, milk fat 110 µg

tbsp (12.8 g) · Butter, milk fat 17% of daily
33

Loquat 106 µg

serving (140 g) · Fruits 16% of daily
34

Butter lactose-free 106 µg

tbsp (15 g) · Butter, milk fat 16% of daily
35

Vendace 104 µg

serving (110 g) · Fish 16% of daily
36

Whipping cream, 38% fat, low-lactose, ultra-heat-treated 100 µg

serving (30 g) · Cream 15% of daily
37

Butter, salted 100 µg

tbsp (14.2 g) · Butter, milk fat 15% of daily
38

Cream cheese, mascarpone, 38% fat 99.3 µg

serving (30 g) · Cheese, unripened, fresh cheese 15% of daily
39

Cream quark, 10% fat 93.9 µg

serving (110 g) · Quark 14% of daily
40

Funnel chanterelle 93.8 µg

serving (85 g) · Mushroom 14% of daily
41

Whipped cream, unsweetened 91.2 µg

serving (30 g) · Cream 14% of daily
42

Steak tartare 91.2 µg

serving (110 g) · Steaks and chops 14% of daily
43

Cherry, sour, red 89.6 µg

serving (140 g) · Berries 14% of daily
44

Curd milk, plain, 3.5% fat 81.2 µg

serving (240 g) · Cultured milks 12% of daily
45

Snail 76.5 µg

serving (85 g) · Crustaceans and molluscs 12% of daily
46

Pesto sauce, herb sauce 75.1 µg

serving (63 g) · Condiments 12% of daily
47

Egg yolk powder 74.2 µg

tbsp (4 g) · Egg 11% of daily
48

Tomato juice 70.9 µg

cup (240 g) · Vegetable juices 11% of daily
49

Creme fraiche, 28% fat 69.3 µg

serving (30 g) · Fermented milk products, other 11% of daily
50

Pheasant, leg, meat only, raw 64.9 µg

serving (110 g) · Chicken and other birds 10% of daily

Learn about vitamin A (RAE)

What are retinol activity equivalents (RAE)?

Retinol activity equivalents (RAE) is a unit of measurement used to quantify the amount of vitamin A in foods and supplements. It takes into account the bioavailability of different forms of vitamin A, such as retinol, beta-carotene, and other provitamin A carotenoids. This allows for accurate determination of total vitamin A intake from various sources.

What does vitamin A do in the body?

Vitamin A plays a crucial role in supporting healthy vision, immune function, and cell growth and development. It also aids in maintaining the health of the skin and mucous membranes, essential for overall health and well-being.

How much vitamin A do I need?

The recommended amount of vitamin A is usually expressed as retinol activity equivalents (RAE), which takes into account not only retinol but also carotenoids, which are converted in our bodies to retinol. According to European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the population reference intake (PRI) of vitamin A, which is likely to meet the needs for most healthy adults, is around 650 micrograms of RAE per day for women, and around 750 micrograms of RAE per day for men.

What are the health benefits of vitamin A?

Vitamin A plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy vision, supporting immune function, and promoting proper growth and development. They also contribute to the health of your skin and help regulate cell growth and differentiation.

What are the health risks associated with vitamin A?

Consuming excessive amounts of Vitamin A, particularly in the form of retinol (for example, from eating liver), can lead to vitamin toxicity and adverse health effects. These may include nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, bone pain, liver abnormalities, and other. It's important to meet your recommended daily intake but avoid excessive supplementation, especially without medical supervision.

What if your vitamin A is low?

A low intake of Vitamin A may lead to night blindness, dry eyes, and an increased susceptibility to infections. It is important to include vitamin A-rich foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and other in your diet to ensure adequate intake.

How do vegans get their vitamin A intake?

Vegans can get their vitamin A intake from plant-based sources such as sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, kale, and other dark leafy greens. These foods contain beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A.

How much vitamin A (RAE) do you need?

Enter your details for your own daily value.

Sex Age

Weight

kg or lbs

Height

cm or ft in

Activity

Your daily vitamin A (RAE)

650 µg

An estimate for healthy adults. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and medical conditions change what you need.

Related nutrients

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