How much Vitamin A do you need each day?

Daily needs depend on age, sex, pregnancy, lactation, health, and other factors. Use the requirement table on this page for general guidance.

Are high Vitamin A foods safe for everyone?

Food sources are suitable for many people, but medical conditions, medicines, allergies, supplements, and pregnancy can change what is safe.

Foodmanac nutrient guide

100 Foods High In Vitamin A With Benefits, Daily Needs and Warnings

Vitamin A supports vision, immune function, skin, growth, and normal cell development.

Use this page to understand Vitamin A benefits, daily requirements, safety notes, and the top Foodmanac food sources.

See top Vitamin A foods Daily needs table Warnings

Vitamin A benefits in the body

Supports normal vision, especially in low light.
Helps immune system function.
Supports skin and lining tissues.
Plays a role in growth and development.
Food sources include preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids.

Who should pay attention?

Animal foods provide preformed vitamin A.
Orange and dark green plants provide provitamin A carotenoids.
Fat in the meal can help absorption.
Pregnancy safety depends strongly on the form and dose.

How to use this list

Compare foods by measured database values.
Choose foods that fit your diet and culture.
Check serving size before judging a food.
Use medical advice for disease-specific diets.

Vitamin A daily body requirements

Daily needs change by age, sex, pregnancy, lactation, body size, health, medicines, and activity. The table gives general U.S. reference values for healthy people.

Vitamin A daily requirements by age, sex, and life stage
Group	Recommended intake
Children 1–3 years	300 mcg RAE/day
Children 4–8 years	400 mcg RAE/day
Ages 9–13 years	600 mcg RAE/day
Males 14+ years	900 mcg RAE/day
Females 14+ years	700 mcg RAE/day
Pregnancy	750–770 mcg RAE/day
Lactation	1,200–1,300 mcg RAE/day

These values are education guidance, not a personal prescription. Your clinician can adjust targets for medical conditions.

Vitamin A warnings and safe-use notes

Too much preformed vitamin A can be toxic.
Pregnant people should avoid high-dose retinol supplements unless prescribed.
Liver can be extremely high in preformed vitamin A.
Beta-carotene from food is safer for most healthy people.

Before you use the food ranking

A high value in the table does not automatically make a food best for everyone. Calories, allergies, sodium, added sugar, preparation, and portion size also matter.

Also, some foods are rich because they are dried, concentrated, fortified, or cooked. Compare similar serving sizes before making a meal decision.

Top 100 Foods High In Vitamin A

Foodmanac ranks these foods from the database nutrient values available for this nutrient. Amounts are shown exactly as stored in the food record.

Top foods ranked by Vitamin A amount
Rank	Food source	Vitamin A amount
1	Fish oil, cod liver	30000.00000000 µg
2	Beef, New Zealand, imported, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw	28300.00000000 µg
3	Veal, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised	21100.00000000 µg
4	Beef, New Zealand, imported, variety meats and by-products liver, cooked, boiled	21000.00000000 µg
5	Veal, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried	20100.00000000 µg
6	Lamb, New Zealand, imported, liver, cooked, soaked and fried	19900.00000000 µg
7	Lamb, New Zealand, imported, liver, raw	15400.00000000 µg
8	Duck, domesticated, liver, raw	12000.00000000 µg
9	Veal, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw	11700.00000000 µg
10	Turkey, all classes, liver, cooked, simmered	10800.00000000 µg
11	Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised	9440.00000000 µg
12	Goose, liver, raw	9310.00000000 µg
13	Liver sausage, liverwurst, pork	8310.00000000 µg
14	Turkey, all classes, liver, raw	8060.00000000 µg
15	Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried	7780.00000000 µg
16	Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried	7740.00000000 µg
17	Liver, beef	7680.00000000 µg
18	Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised	7490.00000000 µg
19	Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw	7390.00000000 µg
20	Pork, fresh, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw	6500.00000000 µg
21	Beverages, Orange-flavor drink, breakfast type, low calorie, powder	6010.00000000 µg
22	Beverages, fruit-flavored drink, powder, with high vitamin C with other added vitamins, low calorie	6000.00000000 µg
23	Pork, fresh, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised	5400.00000000 µg
24	Liver cheese, pork	5250.00000000 µg
25	Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw	4970.00000000 µg
26	Seal, ringed, liver (Alaska Native)	4880.00000000 µg
27	Liver, beef or calves, and onions	4730.00000000 µg
28	Oscar Mayer, Braunschweiger Liver Sausage (sliced)	4720.00000000 µg
29	Turkey, whole, giblets, cooked, simmered	4620.00000000 µg
30	Pate, truffle flavor	4500.00000000 µg
31	Chicken, capons, giblets, raw	4370.00000000 µg
32	Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, pan-fried	4300.00000000 µg
33	Liverwurst	4220.00000000 µg
34	Braunschweiger (a liver sausage), pork	4220.00000000 µg
35	Liverwurst spread	4090.00000000 µg
36	Chicken, capons, giblets, cooked, simmered	3980.00000000 µg
37	Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, simmered	3980.00000000 µg
38	Turkey, whole, giblets, raw	3940.00000000 µg
39	Peppers, sweet, red, freeze-dried	3860.00000000 µg
40	Chicken, broilers or fryers, giblets, cooked, fried	3580.00000000 µg
41	Carrot, dehydrated	3420.00000000 µg
42	Chives, freeze-dried	3420.00000000 µg
43	Chicken, liver, all classes, raw	3300.00000000 µg
44	Chicken, stewing, giblets, raw	3150.00000000 µg
45	Chicken, roasting, giblets, raw	2880.00000000 µg
46	Chicken, stewing, giblets, cooked, simmered	2860.00000000 µg
47	Liver, chicken	2810.00000000 µg
48	Beverage, instant breakfast powder, chocolate, sugar-free, not reconstituted	2690.00000000 µg
49	Nutritional powder mix, sugar free (Carnation Instant Breakfast)	2690.00000000 µg
50	Chicken, broilers or fryers, giblets, raw	2660.00000000 µg
51	Spices, paprika	2460.00000000 µg
52	Chicken, roasting, giblets, cooked, simmered	2440.00000000 µg
53	Spices, pepper, red or cayenne	2080.00000000 µg
54	Nutritional powder mix, high protein (Herbalife)	1880.00000000 µg
55	Beverages, nutritional shake mix, high protein, powder	1880.00000000 µg
56	Nutritional powder mix, high protein, NFS	1880.00000000 µg
57	Peppers, pasilla, dried	1790.00000000 µg
58	Incaparina, dry mix (corn and soy flours), unprepared	1770.00000000 µg
59	Chicken, broilers or fryers, giblets, cooked, simmered	1750.00000000 µg
60	Livers, chicken, chopped, with eggs and onion	1740.00000000 µg
61	Snack, BALANCE, original bar	1500.00000000 µg
62	Nutrition bar (Balance Original Bar)	1500.00000000 µg
63	Spices, chili powder	1480.00000000 µg
64	Margarine-like spread, SMART BALANCE Light Buttery Spread	1430.00000000 µg
65	Grape leaves, raw	1380.00000000 µg
66	Margarine-like spread, BENECOL Light Spread	1370.00000000 µg
67	Beverages, OVALTINE, Classic Malt powder	1360.00000000 µg
68	Milk, malted, dry mix, not reconstituted	1360.00000000 µg
69	Beverages, OVALTINE, chocolate malt powder	1360.00000000 µg
70	Beverages, rich chocolate, powder	1360.00000000 µg
71	Margarine,spread, 35-39% fat, tub	1350.00000000 µg
72	Cereals, CREAM OF WHEAT, instant, dry	1340.00000000 µg
73	Margarine, light	1330.00000000 µg
74	Peppers, hot chile, sun-dried	1320.00000000 µg
75	Cereals ready-to-eat, chocolate-flavored frosted puffed corn	1320.00000000 µg
76	Margarine-like, vegetable oil spread, approximately 37% fat, unspecified oils, with salt, with added vitamin D	1300.00000000 µg
77	Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON Crispy Hexagons	1260.00000000 µg
78	Snacks, sweet potato chips, unsalted	1180.00000000 µg
79	Sweet potato chips	1180.00000000 µg
80	Peanut butter, smooth, vitamin and mineral fortified	1170.00000000 µg
81	Peanut butter, chunky, vitamin and mineral fortified	1170.00000000 µg
82	Peanut butter, vitamin and mineral fortified	1170.00000000 µg
83	Fish, eel, mixed species, cooked, dry heat	1140.00000000 µg
84	Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON CRISP RICE	1140.00000000 µg
85	Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON Corn Biscuits	1090.00000000 µg
86	Cereals ready-to-eat, MALT-O-MEAL, Fruity DYNO-BITES	1090.00000000 µg
87	Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON TASTEEOS	1070.00000000 µg
88	Formulated bar, ZONE PERFECT CLASSIC CRUNCH BAR, mixed flavors	1050.00000000 µg
89	Protein supplement, milk based, Muscle Milk Light, powder	1050.00000000 µg
90	Nutritional powder mix, light (Muscle Milk)	1050.00000000 µg
91	Nutritional powder mix, protein, light, NFS	1050.00000000 µg
92	Nutrition bar (Zone Perfect Classic Crunch)	1050.00000000 µg
93	Fish, eel, mixed species, raw	1040.00000000 µg
94	Oil, spotted seal (Alaska Native)	1040.00000000 µg
95	Sweet potato, frozen, cooked, baked, without salt	1040.00000000 µg
96	Nutritional powder mix (Slim Fast)	1030.00000000 µg
97	Beverages, UNILEVER, SLIMFAST Shake Mix, powder, 3-2-1 Plan	1030.00000000 µg
98	Nutritional powder mix, sugar free (Slim Fast)	1030.00000000 µg
99	Margarine, industrial, non-dairy, cottonseed, soy oil (partially hydrogenated ), for flaky pastries	1030.00000000 µg
100	Peppers, ancho, dried	1020.00000000 µg

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Vitamin A do in the body?

Vitamin A supports vision, immune function, skin, growth, and normal cell development.

How much Vitamin A do I need each day?

Your need depends on age, sex, pregnancy, lactation, health, medicines, and other factors. Use the table above for general daily reference values.

Which foods contain the most Vitamin A?

The table ranks foods by Foodmanac database values. Always compare serving size and preparation before choosing a food.

Can too much Vitamin A be harmful?

Yes, excessive intake can be unsafe for some nutrients, supplements, and health conditions. Review the warnings above and seek medical advice when needed.

References

Foodmanac uses database values for rankings. Daily needs and warning notes are based on public nutrition references.