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Vitamin A is important for vision (and night vision); it helps a human to see and differentiate colors. It is vital for bone growth, reproduction, cell division.

Vitamin A helps to regulate the immune system and prevent infectious diseases; it makes the skin and mucous membrane function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses.

There are two types of vitamin A, depending on the food source.

Preformed vitamin A is in foods that come from animals. The retinol form of it is one of the most active forms of vitamin A. The food sources are liver, and whole milk.

Provitamin A carotenoid is found in colorful fruits and vegetables. It is made into retinol in the body. The common foods containing provitamin A carotenoids are orange fruits and vegetables such as: cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin. The regular consumption of all carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables has lots of health promoting benefits.

Some provitamin A carotenoids, according to lab studies, function as antioxidants which protect cells from free radicals.

Retinol is also found in whole eggs and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, collards. Vitamin A in foods that come from animals is well absorbed and in foods that come from plants is not as well absorbed as animal sources of vitamin A.