What is the Recommended Dietary Intake of Vitamin A?
The Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) simply means what the body requires each day to maintain a healthy life. Vitamin A is essential for reproduction, growth, immunity, vision and development of the embryo and the foetus. Vitamin A is only found in animal foods, notably in dairy foods, seafood and liver. Plant foods, like carrots, pumpkin, squash and spinach are noted for their carotenoid content. Carotenoids, like Betacarotene are converted in the body into Vitamin A when the body requires it. Due to the vitamin A content in foods being sensitive to heat it is not recommended to over cook these foods as they will lose their nutrient content. The main food sources according to www.choice.com.au : It’s chiefly found in liver and cod liver oil; some is also in oily fish, eggs, milk, butter and cream. The body can also easily convert it from the beta carotene in dark green vegetables and orange and red fruits and vegetables. It’s usually added to margarines. Up to 25,000 IU (7,500 mcg) of
