Vitamin A and its importance for the human body
No wonder "Vita" means "life." Without vitamin A can not be a full-fledged existence of the human body, it is involved in the formation of the protective functions, prevents aging and the formation of cancer cells and is required for visual acuity and to maintain skin tone. It plays an important role in the functioning of the endocrine system, including the gonads, a normal operation is altogether impossible thyroid deficiency in this vitamin.
If you have not quit smoking, you know that vitamin A is destroyed by harmful substances in tobacco smoke. Smoking person is at risk, because a deficiency of this vitamin can cause cancer of the larynx, pancreas, palate, bladder and lung. Eating foods that contain this vitamin, is the prevention of hypertension, thrombosis, ulceration, intestinal and skin diseases, it is able to stop attacks of allergic hay fever.
Vitamin A can be stored in the liver, it is there to create the necessary stock that meets the needs of the body with a shortage of this vitamin in foods.
Foods containing vitamin A
Vitamin A is found in foods of animal origin in the form of retinol, vitamin A itself, and products of vegetable origin - as carotene or beta-carotene, retinol while 3 times more active carotene. The main products that deliver retinol in the body are:
- Unsalted butter;
- Cream;
- Egg yolk;
- Livers of fish (especially cod);
- The liver and kidneys of animals.
The main sources of carotene are the following herbal products:
- Dried and fresh apricots;
- Carrot;
- Any cabbage;
- Green vegetables, plants and leafy salads;
- Yellow vegetables and fruits;
- Sunflower and pumpkin seeds;
- Potato.
Rules of admission of foods high in vitamin A
This fat-soluble vitamin, so that it is absorbed in the body, it should take with products that contain fat and protein. It is sensitive to heat treatment and freezing, destroyed during long cooking, stewing. Foods containing vitamin A, can not be stored for long periods outdoors.
The content of vitamin A in food is not so great as to provoke hypervitaminosis. Usually, it becomes a cause uncontrolled use of artificial vitamins.
Hypervitaminosis caused by the intake of this vitamin can cause cancer, and in children whose mothers during pregnancy daily took more than 1,800 micrograms of vitamin A, observed congenital malformations such as urinary tract anomalies, retarded growth and changes in the skeleton. Doctors recommend drinking it in doses. For men, daily intake is 1000 mcg, and for women - 800 mcg.