Evidence-based nutrition, in plain English — every entry sourced from clinical research.

Foods High in Vitamin A

Foods High in Vitamin A: Carrot, Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash, Spinach, Pumpkin

If you are trying to eat more Vitamin A, ranked lists are useful because the best options are often not the most obvious ones. The foods below are ordered by Vitamin A content in µg per 100 g, drawn from the foods in our database.

Dried herbs, spices, garlic and chilli are excluded from this ranking. Per 100 g they top almost every nutrient table — ground turmeric alone would lead on iron, potassium and manganese — but they are eaten a teaspoon at a time, so listing them as a source would be misleading.

Remember: ranking by one nutrient is only one way to choose foods. Pairing matters too. Use the Vitamin A compound page to understand absorption, forms and interactions.

Carrot — the top-ranked source

Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g, edible portion · values per 100 g
Calories 41
Total Fat 0.24 g
Saturated Fat 0.03 g
Sodium 69 mg
Potassium 320 mg
Total Carbohydrate 9.58 g
Dietary Fiber 2.8 g
Total Sugars 4.74 g
Protein 0.93 g
Beta-carotene, vitamin K1, biotin
Glycemic index: 39
Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC 170393)

Top 15 Vitamin A foods

  1. Carrot — 835.0 µg per 100g (93% DV). Beta-carotene, vitamin K1, biotin
  2. Sweet Potato — 709.0 µg per 100g (79% DV). Beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, manganese
  3. Butternut Squash — 532.0 µg per 100g (59% DV). Beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, potassium
  4. Spinach — 469.0 µg per 100g (52% DV). Vitamin K, folate, iron
  5. Pumpkin — 426.0 µg per 100g (47% DV). Beta-carotene, vitamin A, potassium
  6. Cheddar Cheese — 263.0 µg per 100g (29% DV). Calcium, protein, vitamin B12
  7. Kale — 241.0 µg per 100g (27% DV). Vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C
  8. Parmesan — 207.0 µg per 100g (23% DV). Calcium, protein, vitamin B12
  9. Mozzarella — 179.0 µg per 100g (20% DV). Calcium, protein, vitamin B12
  10. Kefir — 171.0 µg per 100g (19% DV). Probiotics (diverse strains), calcium, B12
  11. Eggs — 160.0 µg per 100g (18% DV). Choline, vitamin B12, vitamin D
  12. Red Bell Pepper — 157.0 µg per 100g (17% DV). Vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6
  13. Apricot — 96.0 µg per 100g (11% DV). Vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium
  14. Rainbow Trout — 84.0 µg per 100g (9% DV). Omega-3 (EPA & DHA), vitamin B12, vitamin D
  15. Cottage Cheese — 68.0 µg per 100g (8% DV). Casein protein, calcium, vitamin B12

How to actually eat more Vitamin A

A handful of additions usually move the needle more than a full diet reset. Vitamin A is best consumed from whole foods rather than supplements whenever possible. Try adding one new source each week, track how you feel, and build from there rather than forcing every meal to hit a target.

For broader context, see our Skin Health hub and the Vitamin A compound page.

Common questions

How much Vitamin A do I need a day? Needs differ by age, sex, life stage and health status. The figures here are not prescriptions; use them to compare foods, then apply your own context.

Are supplements better than food sources? Not automatically. Food provides co-factors such as fibre, fat and other micronutrients that help the body use Vitamin A effectively. Supplements are useful for filling confirmed gaps.

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