If you are trying to eat more Beta-Carotene, ranked lists are useful because the best options are often not the most obvious ones. The foods below are ordered by Beta-Carotene 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 Beta-Carotene compound page to understand absorption, forms and interactions.
Sweet Potato — the top-ranked source
| Total Fat | 0.38 g |
|---|---|
| Saturated Fat | 0.018 g |
| Sodium | 0 mg |
| Potassium | 486 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 17.33 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Total Sugars | 4.18 g |
| Protein | 1.58 g |
Top 15 Beta-Carotene foods
- Sweet Potato — 8,509.0 µg per 100g. Beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, manganese
- Carrot — 8,285.0 µg per 100g. Beta-carotene, vitamin K1, biotin
- Spinach — 5,626.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin K, folate, iron
- Butternut Squash — 4,226.0 µg per 100g. Beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, potassium
- Pumpkin — 3,100.0 µg per 100g. Beta-carotene, vitamin A, potassium
- Kale — 2,870.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C
- Red Bell Pepper — 1,624.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6
- Apricot — 1,094.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium
- Mango — 640.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin C, vitamin A (beta-carotene), folate
- Brussels Sprouts — 450.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin K, vitamin C, folate
- Green Peas — 449.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin K, folate, vitamin C
- Tomato — 449.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin C, potassium, lycopene
- Asparagus — 449.0 µg per 100g. Folate, vitamin K, vitamin A
- Green Beans — 379.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin K, vitamin C, folate
- Guava — 374.0 µg per 100g. Vitamin C, fibre, potassium
How to actually eat more Beta-Carotene
A handful of additions usually move the needle more than a full diet reset. Beta-Carotene 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 Eye Health hub and the Beta-Carotene compound page.
Common questions
How much Beta-Carotene 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 Beta-Carotene effectively. Supplements are useful for filling confirmed gaps.
