There are many svegetables that contain vitamin A, and mostly very easy to find. Besides being healthy, these vegetables can also be processed into various delicious dishes for the daily menu.
Vitamin A is one type of vitamin that is very important for a healthy body. This vitamin functions to maintain healthy eyes and skin, increase endurance, and strengthen muscles and bones. Because it has antioxidant properties, vitamin A can also counteract the effects of free radicals and reduce inflammation.
The recommended intake of vitamin A that needs to be met varies from person to person, depending on age and gender.
Adult men need about 600 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A per day, while adult women need about 500 mcg of vitamin A per day. Pregnant and lactating women need more vitamin A, which is as much as 800-850 mcg per day.
You can get this daily intake of vitamin A by eating a variety of vegetables that contain vitamin A. In addition to vegetables, other types of food, such as beef liver, eggs, fish, and cheese, also contain high levels of vitamin A.
Types of Vegetables Containing Vitamin A
The following are some types of vegetables with vitamin A content that are easy to find everyday:
1. Sweet potato
The sweet taste and bright color make many people like this one vegetable. Besides being delicious, maybe not many know that sweet potatoes are the best source of vitamin A.
In a sweet potato, contained about 1,400 mcg of vitamin A, the content of vitamin A in this sweet potato is much higher than other vegetables that contain vitamin A, such as carrots and broccoli.
To get optimal nutritional content, it is recommended to eat sweet potatoes whole (with skin).
How to process it is also simple, first wash the sweet potato thoroughly, then soak it for a while to remove the remaining soil and dirt. After that, sweet potatoes can be consumed by roasting, steaming, or boiling whole.
2. Carrots
One of the main ingredients in carrots is beta carotene. Beta carotene is a pigment in plants that are red, yellow, and orange. In the body, beta-carotene will be converted into vitamin A.
To get the benefits of vitamin A from carrots, you can eat them directly, steamed, or boiled. You can also make carrots as an ingredient in salads or soups and juices combined with apples and oranges.
Although good for the body, consuming too much beta carotene in carrots can actually make your skin turn yellow or orange in color. However, you don't have to worry because it's harmless.
3. Broccoli
To get the benefits of vitamin A from broccoli, you can cook it by roasting it and mixing it with walnuts. Here are the ingredients you can use to cook roasted broccoli:
- 3 cups broccoli
- 3 cloves garlic chopped.
- 4 tablespoons margarine.
- 4 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts.
How to cook it is very easy. Place the broccoli and garlic in a baking dish that has been greased with margarine. Bake for 10 minutes and serve with a sprinkling of walnuts. In addition, broccoli can also be consumed by frying it into capcai or stir-fried vegetables.
4. Spinach
Spinach is a type of vegetable that is rich in vitamin A and other nutrients, such as vitamin C, folate, iron, and magnesium. Various kinds of nutrients are useful for increasing endurance and preventing the body from experiencing anemia.
Spinach also contains carotenoid compounds which include beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. This compound is able to protect the eyes from visual disturbances due to aging, night blindness, heart disease, and cancer.
Not only boiled or sauteed, spinach can also be made into smoothies. The ingredients needed are 4 cups of spinach, 2 frozen bananas, and 1 cup of water. How to make it very easy, just use a blender to mix and smooth all the ingredients.
To make it taste more delicious, you can also add sliced strawberries or pineapple. If you want to make it taste more creamy, try adding low-sugar and low-fat yogurt on the smoothies the spinach.
5. Pumpkin
A cup of pumpkin is able to meet the needs of vitamin A 2 times the recommended. Orange pumpkin flesh also contains beta carotene which the body can process into vitamin A.
Pumpkin can be consumed by roasting, boiling, or steaming. Pumpkin can also be processed into various types of dishes. One of them is pumpkin pie. Here are the ingredients for turning pumpkin into pies:
- 2 cups pumpkin, puree.
- 2 cups crushed biscuits.
- 3 tablespoons low-fat margarine.
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
- teaspoon salt.
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
- 350 ml fat-free milk.
- 2 eggs.
- teaspoon nutmeg powder.
How to make:
- Make the pie crust by mixing the biscuits, sugar, margarine, and cinnamon.
- Form the pie crust in the pan and bake for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Mix the remaining ingredients into a dough.
- Pour into the pie crust and bake for 15 minutes on high (about 220 degrees Celsius), then lower the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for 35 minutes.
- Pumpkin pie is ready to serve.
Although many contain benefits for health, vegetables that contain vitamin A should be consumed in moderation. Because, excessive intake of vitamin A can cause vitamin A poisoning which has the potential to trigger liver and kidney damage, calcium buildup, and osteoporosis.
To determine the amount of vitamin A that needs to be obtained from food or supplements, you can consult a nutritionist for further advice.