4 Important Perks Of Vitamin A That Have Nothing To Do With Your Eyes*

Plant sources of vitamin A are easy to spot because the carotenoids (like beta-carotene) in them give them distinct yellow and orange hues. Keep an eye out for these colors of the rainbow the next time you’re in the produce section and you’ll see clear as day which fruits and vegetables will help you up your intake. Some of your many options include sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, and mango.

Green leafy vegetables—think broccoli, kale, spinach, and collards—also contain these carotenoids. However, the large amounts of chlorophyll, which gives these plants their green color, keeps those carotenoids from visibly shining through.

The ultimate source (i.e., most concentrated) of vitamin A, though, comes from an animal source—and one you may not be super stoked to eat: beef liver.

Of course, you can also get your fair share of vitamin A from supplements; most quality multivitamin formulas include it in the mix. Though different supplements may contain different forms of the vitamin, many contain both retinol and beta-carotene, for synergy reasons and to provide your body with both sources.

Also, vitamin A is fat-soluble and thus, can store in fat tissue when consumed in very large amounts over time. Toxicity can be a concern with the retinol form (but not beta-carotene).