According to the National Institutes of Health, the type of vitamin A present in plant foods like fruits and vegetables is provitamin A carotenoid, or carotene. The body converts this form of vitamin A to retinol to be used in forming surface linings in a variety of organs. These linings serve as a barrier to infections and disease; vitamin A might also serve as an antioxidant, protecting against cell damage by free radicals. Approximately one-third of the vitamin A consumed by adults in the United States is in the form of provitamin A carotenoid. Since carotene is what gives vegetables color, focus on bright vegetables when shopping for foods high in vitamin A.
Step 1
Look for bright orange vegetables. Carrots tend to be the poster child for vitamin A content, supplying more carotene than any other vegetable. Cantaloupe, butternut squash, pumpkin, orange sweet potatoes, mango, apricots and peaches are additional good sources of carotene.
Step 2
Seek red vegetables. Bright red is another sign of high carotene content. Look for red bell peppers, papaya, tomatoes and tomato juice.
Step 3
Include dark, leafy greens in your diet. Spinach, broccoli, kale and collard greens pack a vitamin A punch and also supply fiber, folate and micronutrients. Avoid lighter greens, like iceberg lettuce, which contain much smaller amounts of vitamin A.
Step 4
Read labels at grocery stores for more information. Most grocery stores post nutrition information next to each produce display or in a reference book in a central location in the produce department. Use the nutrition charts to discover how much vitamin A each vegetable contains -- in IU, or International Units, or as a percentage of your daily value needs. Aim to get 100 percent of your daily value.
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