What Should I Eat If I Have Vitamin A Deficiency?

December 27, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the World Health Organization, vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children globally. If you suspect you have this condition, knowing what should I eat if I have vitamin A deficiency is a crucial first step toward recovery and better health.

Quick Summary

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the best food sources to correct a vitamin A deficiency, covering both powerful animal-based retinoids and plant-derived carotenoids to support your overall health.

Key Points

Embrace Variety: Eat a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, along with animal products if you consume them, to cover both major forms of vitamin A.
Enhance Absorption: Always consume plant-based carotenoids, like those in carrots or spinach, with a source of fat (e.g., olive oil) to improve absorption.
Prioritize Food over Supplements: Meet your vitamin A needs through a balanced diet rather than high-dose supplements to avoid toxicity, especially with preformed vitamin A.
Limit Liver Intake: Since liver is extremely high in retinol, limit its consumption, especially if pregnant or at risk of osteoporosis.
Consult a Doctor: If you suspect a severe deficiency, see a healthcare professional for diagnosis and guidance on whether supplements are necessary.

Understanding the Two Forms of Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin vital for vision, immune function, cell growth, and reproduction. It is important to know that vitamin A comes in two primary forms from food, each with a different source and absorption rate.

Preformed Vitamin A (Retinol)

This form is found exclusively in animal products and is immediately usable by the body. It is highly bioavailable, meaning the body absorbs and utilizes it very efficiently. Because it is stored in the liver, overconsumption, especially from supplements, can be toxic over time.

Rich sources of preformed vitamin A include:

Beef liver: One of the most concentrated sources of vitamin A, providing hundreds of percent of the Daily Value in a single serving.
Cod liver oil: An excellent source, often used in supplements, that also provides vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
Fatty fish: Varieties like salmon, herring, mackerel, and trout are good sources of retinol.
Eggs: A good, common source, particularly in the yolk.
Dairy products: Milk, cheese, and yogurt are reliable sources of preformed vitamin A, with many varieties also being fortified.

Provitamin A Carotenoids

Found in plant-based foods, carotenoids like beta-carotene are converted into vitamin A by the body. The conversion efficiency can vary between individuals and depends on several factors, including the presence of dietary fat and the cooking method.

Rich sources of provitamin A carotenoids include:

Sweet potatoes: One of the best sources of beta-carotene, especially when baked.
Carrots: An easily accessible and well-known source, providing a significant amount of provitamin A.
Dark leafy greens: Spinach and kale are packed with beta-carotene.
Winter squash: Varieties like pumpkin and butternut squash are excellent sources.
Sweet red peppers: A colorful and nutritious source of carotenoids.
Fruits: Mangoes, cantaloupe, and apricots are delicious fruit options high in provitamin A.

Optimizing Absorption and Safe Intake

For optimal absorption, especially when consuming carotenoid-rich plant foods, it is recommended to eat them with a source of dietary fat. For instance, adding a drizzle of olive oil to spinach or roasting sweet potatoes with a bit of oil can increase the body's utilization of the provitamin A. Cooking can also enhance the bioavailability of beta-carotene from vegetables.

It is vital to balance your intake and consult a healthcare professional, especially when considering supplements. While dietary intake of carotenoids is generally safe from a toxicity perspective, consuming excessive preformed vitamin A, particularly from concentrated sources like liver or high-dose supplements, can lead to hypervitaminosis A.

Animal-Based vs. Plant-Based Vitamin A Sources

To help you decide what to add to your diet, here is a comparison of the different types of food sources:


Feature	Preformed Vitamin A (Animal Sources)	Provitamin A Carotenoids (Plant Sources)
Availability	Immediately available and usable by the body.	Must be converted to vitamin A by the body.
Absorption Rate	High bioavailability.	Variable, can be improved by cooking and consuming with fat.
Toxicity Risk	High risk of toxicity (hypervitaminosis A) with excessive intake, especially from supplements or liver.	Very low risk of toxicity. High intake may cause harmless yellowing of the skin (carotenosis).
Source Examples	Liver, cod liver oil, salmon, eggs, dairy products.	Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, kale, mangoes, cantaloupe.

Crafting Your Diet to Overcome Deficiency

A varied diet is the best approach to ensure you get sufficient vitamin A without risking overconsumption. Combine both animal and plant sources to get the benefits of both forms. For example, a meal might include salmon with a side of steamed spinach and carrots dressed with olive oil. This not only provides direct retinol but also promotes the absorption of plant-based carotenoids.

For those on vegetarian or vegan diets, focusing on a wide array of brightly colored fruits and vegetables is key. Sweet potatoes, carrots, and leafy greens are particularly important, along with healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and oils. Fortified cereals and plant-based milks can also help meet daily needs.

It's important to remember that severe deficiencies should be managed under medical supervision, as high-dose supplements may be required initially. Your doctor can determine the correct dosage and monitor your progress safely.

Conclusion

To address a vitamin A deficiency, focus on a balanced dietary strategy incorporating both animal and plant-based food sources. For optimal benefit, cook plant-based sources and consume them with healthy fats to boost absorption. Since there is a risk of toxicity with high-dose preformed vitamin A, especially from supplements, prioritize a whole-food approach and consult a healthcare provider for any severe deficiency or before starting supplementation. A varied and balanced diet remains the safest and most effective way to maintain adequate vitamin A levels and support overall health.

For more information on dietary needs and vitamin recommendations, visit the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements website.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best food sources include preformed vitamin A from animal products like beef liver, eggs, and dairy, and provitamin A carotenoids from plants such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and spinach.

Plant-based provitamin A (carotenoids) must be converted by the body, which is less efficient than absorbing preformed vitamin A from animal sources. However, consuming a variety of plant-based sources with fat can provide sufficient intake.

To enhance absorption, consume plant-based sources of vitamin A with a healthy fat, such as avocado, nuts, seeds, or a light drizzle of olive oil. Cooking vegetables can also increase bioavailability.

It is very difficult to get too much vitamin A from plant-based foods, as the body regulates the conversion of carotenoids. However, excessive intake of preformed vitamin A from liver or high-dose supplements can be toxic (hypervitaminosis A).

Initial symptoms can include night blindness, dry eyes, and skin issues. A healthcare provider can confirm a diagnosis through your symptoms and a blood test, especially if there's no dietary improvement.

It is safest to obtain vitamin A from a varied, balanced diet. Supplements should only be taken under the guidance of a healthcare professional, as excessive intake of the preformed version can be harmful.

Some of the highest fruit and vegetable sources include sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, kale, cantaloupe, and mangoes.