Question

Vitamin A is found in
foods of animal origin.

Answer 1

Partly true — but with an important distinction.

- Preformed vitamin A (retinol, retinal, retinyl esters) is found primarily in foods of animal origin: liver, dairy (milk, cheese, butter), egg yolks, fatty fish and fish oils.
- Provitamin A carotenoids (most importantly beta‑carotene), which the body converts to vitamin A, come from plant foods: carrots, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, pumpkin, mango, and other orange/yellow fruits and vegetables. Many foods (e.g., milk, some margarines) are also fortified with preformed vitamin A.

Quick facts:
- Conversion: 1 µg retinol activity equivalent (RAE) = 1 µg retinol = 12 µg dietary beta‑carotene.
- RDA (adults): about 900 µg RAE/day for men and 700 µg RAE/day for women.
- Deficiency causes night blindness and, in severe cases, xerophthalmia; children in some low‑income areas are at risk.
- Too much preformed vitamin A can be toxic (hypervitaminosis A) and is of particular concern in pregnancy (teratogenic at high intakes).

If you want, I can list high‑calorie examples with approximate vitamin A content or suggest diet plans to meet needs safely.