People like to relate vitamin A benefits to eye treatment. Every time they hear and talk about vitamin A, they would likely think that foods with vitamin A are good for eye care and treatment. Two of most popular foods in relation to vitamin A essence are papaya and carrot. Anyway, have you ever wondered about whether vitamin A is only about eye treatment and papaya as well as carrot? Again, what is vitamin actually for? Why it should be divided into vitamin A, B, D, D, E and so on and so forth and what are the criteria of each? If you have so, this article would provide you enough and reliable information, particularly about vitamin A benefits.
To help you thinking orderly and understanding this topic more easily, this article structure is arranged following these subtitles;
- The Essence of Vitamin
- The Types of Vitamin
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin A Benefits
- For Health
- For Beauty
- Disadvantages of Vitamin A Inadequacy
- Disadvantages of Vitamin A Excess
Those mentioned subtitles describe that there are much information about vitamin A if you really discuss it in detail. If you want to have thorough and complete information, you can read the article by order from the beginning to the last part. However, if you want to find specific information in a close time, you can just search and scan what you need to know by paying attention to the subtitles and then find the information you need.
Following is the information about vitamin A you need to know to make your knowledge about health and food essences better and more complete.
The Essence of Vitamin
The word vitamin is so popular and everyone will likely use this vocabulary in their daily conversation no matter how far they know about the vitamin itself. Vitamin is actually a name of group of organic chemical compound (organoleptic essence) needed by a body to assure body metabolism run well even better. It is also vitamin which all parts or organs of body need to work well and properlu. As the body could not produce vitamin automatically by itself, it needs external ‘support’ from food.
This term is firstly used and founded by Chesimir Funk on 1912 during his effort to heal a certain disease. He then compounded two words—vita, means, food essences needed by human body, and amine, containing nitrogen essence—become one, vitamine. Next on, it became more popular with spelling without ‘e’ at the final letter and called vitamin.
As mentioned above, vitamin could only be got from outside, i.e. food consumption. The more important thing is that the function of vitamin could not be replaced by other essences. It implies that a human body is supposed to fulfill vitamin needs with no compromise. If an inadequate of vitamin supply happens, a body (and one or some of its organs) would not work well and this could cause many bad effects such as health disturbances, dysfunction of any body organ even various types of disease. Additionally, it should be known also that vitamin has various types and this actually shows that a body needs them all to have proper function and make its whole organ work well.
The Types of Vitamin
Generally, according to its main characteristics, vitamin has two types. The first one is the type melting at the fat, and the second is what melts at the water. Vitamin A, D, E and K are categorized to the first part, while vitamin B and C are for the second one. Some types of food and drink believed as vitamin sources actually only provide pro vitamin, because the pro vitamin can only be turned into vitamin after it is melted in either water or fat.
Introduction of Vitamin A
In comparison to other vitamins in the category of fat diluting, vitamin A is the most prominent as it is the first type of vitamin to be found melting at the fat. This could be the naming background on why it is called vitamin a implying the first and or the foremost. In the sense of naming, vitamin A is also popular with another name, retinol, which is actually derived from one of its main essences. The other essences of vitamin A are retinil palmitat and retinil asetat.
In addition to become the firstly found vitamin type, vitamin A is also the most easiest essence to melt at the fat and would be later restored at the heart. The restored ‘essence’ would be available when a part of body needs it for any activities. Anyone can find vitamin A foods according to its two types; which are retinoid, coming from animal protein and beta carotine from plant essences. Examples of the former types are milk, egg, butter, fish oil and heart, while from the latter are green vegetables, yellow fruit and other types of fruit.
As vitamin A is one of the vitamins melting at the fat, it needs proper portion of fat in a body to absorb the vitamin A essence. The fat level should not be too high or too low. When it is too low, it would be hard for vitamin A to break itself so the blood could neither absorb its essence. When the blood gets problem, its main mission to distribute to essence to all parts of body would not be accomplished so they consumption of vitamin A is about to be useless. Vitamin A could only be absorbed and distributed well in body tissues when the fat supports it. Make sure to avoid some foods containing too high level of trans fat because it will likely block even stop the absorption process of vitamin A as well as the distribution.
Vitamin A Benefits For Health
The main vitamin A benefits is for health, every people already know its main vitamin for bright vision. Fulfilling your body need of vitamin A will not only assure the body metabolism and all body organs work well, but also give many other advantages much more than what you imagine or your know so far. The benefits range from the aspect of health to the beauty one so you would not regret to consume pro vitamin A foods as they would give positive effects for your body. Some of the main benefits of vitamin A for health are the following;
1. Protecting Nose Health
One of the spaces or front doors of your body is the nose in which unexpected ‘guest’ could come in anytime you neglect the condition. The guest could be free radical or dangerous essence which could endanger your body. As it is hard for you to avoid this free radical as pollution and gas emission are at your surrounding, for example, the best thing that you could do is protecting the ‘door’, which is your nose. Generally, people like to use any mask face so their nose could not be in contact with the dirt, the dust and so forth.
However, it is not totally effective as the dirt or the dust could follow oxygen inhaled by the nose. It would be better for you to have double protection by consuming vitamin A foods as they can assure the quality—as well as the existence—of noose slime functioning in filtering oxygen. When this slime functions well and stable, you do not need to worry because filtering system would make sure that there is not threat comes to your body through the breathing door.
2. Helping in The Pregnancy Period
Pregnancy is the urgent period for both a woman and a baby. Having two souls in her body, a pregnant woman is supposed to keep her health as well as possible as everything she does and consumes would directly give effect to the baby, either it is good or bad. She is also required to help the process of baby’s organ body formation by consuming various types of food for stimulating and accelerating the growth.
Vitamin A foods are very helpful for a pregnant woman in this matter. First of all, it could protect the placenta ‘wall’ of baby and keep it elastic as well as tough so that when poisoned essence or free radical elements comes to the body of a pregnant woman, the placenta will keep being a strong fortress. Baby would saved from any threat of the free radical ranging from irritation to inflammation.
Additionally, the growth process of baby at the pregnancy period would run well even better so at the time she or her was born, she or he would be healthy because all body organs are functioning well and properly. This condition is also very helpful in the process of giving birth so that the pregnant woman would not be hurt too much. Those all mentioned condition are what every pregnant woman expects, so make sure to consume enough supply of vitamin A foods in the pregnancy period.
3. Facilitating the Blood Stream Smooth
Vitamin A could make the blood stream smooth as it contains rerinoat acid and retinol. Smooth blood stream plays a big role in assuring body health because the blood is as if transmitter of food and oxygen to the whole part of body. When this stream runs well, any blood blocking could be prevented and various types of threat could be removed. The threat ranges from non-serious health disturbance types, such dirty blood—the cause of acne, ulcer and other skin diseases—to the serious one such as failed heart, stroke and other cardio diseases.
4. Keeping Body Immune Strong
The strong body immune accords with ability of a human body to defend and against any health threat as well as to keep the body in a good even the best condition. This immune is flexible depending on the food consumption, lifestyle as well as the surrounding condition. At opposite, the health threat is relatively constant and could come from both inside and outside the body. The need of antioxidant to keep the body immune strong is no compromise therefore.
You can easily find some food types containing anti-oxidant, yet the one with strong and active anti-oxidant can be found in certain essences only, and vitamin A is one of which. Vitamin A has a main essence called retinol which could actively prevent poisoned particle of free radical coming from both inside (body oxidation) and outside (pollution, dirt, gas emission and so on and so forth) the body to contaminate the body function and system.
In addition, routine consumption of vitamin A would stimulate the body to produce a sort of chemical compound to protect body from any bacteria, fungus, virus, germ as well as pantogen. When this chemical compound could be successfully created and and always available, you do not need worry about climate change or various types of food you consume. Your body already gets secure protection.
5. Stimulating Cell Growth
One of the benefits of vitamin A is stimulating the growth of cell. The fast growth of cell is particularly needed by babies, children or those who are in health recovery after getting wound or suffering certain types of disease. Therefore, it would be very good to give your babies or children vitamin A foods or drinks to accelerate their growth process. The same also applies for those who are in recovery condition to make the process faster so the patient could come back to daily activities sooner.
The other type of patient who is advised to consume vitamin A routinely is pregnant woman. This closely relates to the fact that pregnant woman needs to make sure that the fetus growth runs well. If a pregnant woman could consume vitamin A routinely, cell growth of her fetus/baby would run well even the best. In particular, the normal –even fast—cell growth runs would significantly help in the ‘creation’ process of eye, eye organ, bond and skin system.
6. Preventing Cancer Cell Growth
A study conducted in USA revealed that vitamin A foods could prevent the breast cancer cell growth as it contains retionat acid and retinol. This is certainly a good news for medical world as the number breast cancer sufferers gets more and more that it becomes one of the most killing diseases in the world.
Some sources even explain that this does not apply for the breast cancer only, but also for the lung, intestine, cervix, prostat and the liver cancer. Therefore, it is suggested to consume vitamin A foods routinely as the enough supply of vitamin A could prevent and avoid the rise and the growth of DNA of the cancer cell. This type of DNA, when it is not fought, could grow fertile at certain parts of body and cause cancer.
7. Caring the Eye
Among all vitamin A benefits, this one benefit is the most popular one. It is scientifically proved and traditionally believed that vitamin A foods could fulfill eye need and do eye treatment in a very natural and safe way. Technically, retinol essence in vitamin A foods could stimulate the eye to have more ability in catching the light and any object received by retina. Later, the catch would be continued to the brain nerve then visualized more accurately and exactly. Some studies even reveal that one of some common causes of blindness is the lack supplement of vitamin A.
Therefore, doing eye treatment by routinely consuming vitamin A foods is not only for recovery or for serious treatment, but also for daily treatment. In particular, vitamin A foods should be preferable menu for those who have various types of eye problem, like to read or write much, often face the computer screen and the likes. Before the eyes get tired, irritated, or reddish, for example, provide enough supply from vitamin A foods that could be a sort of vitamin restoration for keeping the eye condition well and controlled.
8. Improving Reproduction Power
Apart of some benefits mentioned above, vitamin A foods could also be solution for those who are trying to have a baby. It is found that vitamin A foods are good for both man and woman particularly for their reproductive organs. For a man, vitamin A foods could increase the possibility of successful insemination through the improvement of sperm quality. Regular consumption of vitamin A would also create high quality sperm characterized by its thick liquid and rich of essences.
Meanwhile, for a woman, vitamin A foods would create a supporting condition in which her reproductive organ, particularly fallopian tube, ready and in good condition to be insemination place. When the sperm of a man and the fallopian tube of a woman are in good condition and ready for insemination, the possibility for pregnancy is getting bigger and bigger. This solution could be preferable for the spouses who are in pregnancy program and prefer to have natural treatment than others, such as chemical (additional hormone injection and others) one.
In addition to those health benefits, vitamin A foods are also helpful in dealing with these health problems for certain patients;
- Diarrhea and measles for children and babies
- Lack of nutrition for babies and children
- Low-weight-body and bluish body for a newly born baby
- Anemia, high stress tension, muscle strain or complication of disease on a women having just given birth
- Xerosis cornea and eyes problem for a newly born baby
Benefits of Vitamin A For Beauty
It may amaze many people but it turns out to be true that vitamin A also plays a vital role for beauty aspect as it helps people who consume vitamin A foods to have better beauty and more attractive performance. For an early proof, you could pay attention to the ingredient of some beauty cosmetic products. You will likely find an essence called retinol at the ingredient. For many people, retinol may sound strange but they will certainly know vitamin A. Retinol is actually a main essence of vitamin A and it is only a few people who know it, so they generally think that vitamin A is only good for health and not for beauty. Anyway, if you are curious on those benefits, pay attention to the following list;
1. Anti Aging Formula
Dermatologists generally say that aging sign would appear as early in the age of twenty and it is surprising for some people particularly those who pay very much attention to the physical performance. However, it is known that retinol (vitamin A) could be a solution for aging problem as it contains some essences which could penetrate into the inner part of the skin. Those essences would then disguise and hide any wrinkle or soft furrows found at the skin, particularly at the face. For getting the best result, it is recommended to balance the consumption of vitamin A with enough supply of plain water.
In addition to retinal essence, vitamin A also offers anti-oxidant to fight any free radical. Free radical is one of the factors causing early aging sign so when the dangerous essence of free radical could be defended, aging sign and symptoms could also be prevented. This could be clearly seen from the skin surface. Moist, fresh and health skin surface show that it is always been supplied enough by anti-oxidants and other nutrients and the opposite condition also applies.
2. Lightening Skin
It is also believed that vitamin A could lighten the skin as the anti-oxidant essence it has could accelerate skin regeneration. Skin regeneration occurs when the dead cell of skin could be naturally removed while the new skin cell revives soon after it. When this regeneration could happen routinely even faster, various skin problems could be solved including the dark skin, the dry skin and the likes. Even, it is also scientifically proved that when vitamin A is combined to AHA (Alpha Hydroxyacid), it could significantly help to have moist and health skin. This means that by consuming one single type of essence, which is vitamin, combined with other good essences, anyone could solve his/her various types of skin problem ranging from aging sign, dry skin, dark skin and the likes.
Anyway, after knowing much information about vitamin A benefits both for health and beauty, you will likely want to know exactly what kind of food with vitamin A essences. Generally, people know that vitamin A is mostly correlated to papaya and carrot, as simple as common knowledge that vitamin A is (only) good for eye and skin. Well, for enriching your knowledge about this topic of talk, following information would be very helpful for you;
Foods with Vitamin A
As mentioned at the part above, vitamin A essences could be found in both animal and plant sources. In comparison to the animal protein, plant source is far more diverse. Plant sources consists of fruit and vegetables as would be explained in detail below;
Fruit
In addition to papaya, many fruits are also rich of vitamin A essence and some of them are the following
- Avocado
Containing 146/IU100 gr of vitamin A, avocado could be consumed fresh from the tree, mixed with milk or sugar, juiced and made as mask main essence. The main function of vitamin A at avocado is actually the skin treatment as it could repair damaged collagen below the skin surface, become natural moisturizer so skin dehydration could be prevented as well as soften dry and rough skin. If you have some problem with your skin, it would be good to consume or use avocado as mask essence since you can solve your problem while consuming delicious meal/drink or enjoying natural mask treatment.
- Tomato
As well as avocado, you could also consume tomato without having it cooked or make it as the mask essence. For mask treatment, its 100 gr vitamin A for every 642 IU could be very effective to remove any small black spot because of acne trace, ultra violet direct contact or the excess of cosmetic use. Tomato can also help you dealing with whitening program and create natural color of face.
- Ripe Pineapple
Ripe pineapple contains 100 gr vitamin A in its 58 IU to consume directly or as mask main essence. As the first two types of fruit, it is also good for skin care and treatment particularly for whitening, removing acne trace and natural moisturizer. If you find that some types of fruit offer the same function and benefits, you could combine them all if you are passionate to have better result. Otherwise if you do not like one of them, you can choose and take other option so your skin treatment could still be performed and you could get what you want.
- Papaya
Papaya is a very good fruit for vitamin A and for eye treatment. It is so rich of vitamin A (950 IU/100 gr vitamin A) meaning that consuming a small piece of papaya could already fulfill daily body need of vitamin A, which is 750 mcg. Additionally, papaya is also good for skin treatment if you prefer to make it as the main essence of mask, preferably ripe papaya. Ripe papaya mask treatment could help you dealing with dry skin, itchy allergy and rough or hot skin.
- Banana
Preferably native banana from Ambon, you could also rely on your skin treatment to banana. Banana mask could help you succeeding your whitening program gradually, softening your skin and moisturizing the dry skin because of ultraviolet direct contact. In comparison to other fruits mentioned above, banana has relatively small portion or essence of vitamin A, which is only 64 IU for 100 gr. However for some people, banana is the most preferable due to its special aroma and softness. That is why, you could decide to pick any fruit for your preference.
- Melon
Melon is also rich of vitamin A (3382 IU/100 gr vitamin) as clearly seen from its bunch supply of water. For skin treatment, it could be consumed directly or made as a main ingredient of mask and used for inflammation skin because of direct contact of ultraviolet. It is also good for daily use after a long day work as it functions as well to cool down the tiring and tight skin. For long term effect, melon is also helpful in lightening dark and faded skin.
- Watermelon
Watermelon is rich of water supply and contains 569 IU/100 gr vitamin A. If you like to consume it or make it juice, it would be good for you. However, some people who dislike the seeds would prefer to make it as the main essence of mask. You can choose one or both of them as your preference and would get various benefits you may find it hard at other fruits with vitamin A. Those benefits are replacing supply water below the skin surface to avoid the drought of skin, preventing acne and healing reddish small bump on the skin which is itchy and could give hot and sore sensation when breaking.
- Strawberry
Strawberry only contains 12 IU/100 gr vitamin A, yet it functions well in dealing with skin problems that other fruits could not fight. Those problems are itchy allergy because of the dust, any bleeding because of acne and returning skin elasticity and resilience. In addition to strawberry mask, you could also consume strawberry or make it juiced for skin protection although the result may not be immediately clear.
- Carrot
Popular with its close correlation to vitamin A essence, carrot actually only contains 836 IU/100 gr. For eye treatment, you can make it juiced, cooked or simply eat it raw. Use of olive oil would add the taste although some people do not like this combination. As for the skin treatment, you could make carrot mask by grating and squeezing it. The benefits you could get are for skin lightening, making any small black spot vanish and disappear, avoiding inflammation because of excessive cosmetic use, cooling the tiring skin and making good look of your skin.
- Wine
No matter what color of wine you find, it contains 100 IU/100 gr vitamin A for your skin and eye treatment. It may be surprising because so far, wine is more popular with its vitamin E essence. If you like to make it as mask main essence, make sure to remove the seed and put on your face or body during 20 minutes. Its rich essence would be good for acceleration of skin regeneration, making you look younger, whitening as well as protecting collagen soft net below the skin surface.
In addition to those mentioned fruits, there are also fruits with relatively lower essence of vitamin A which could be your preference, particularly if you like the taste. You can make it as daily snack to still make sure that your vitamin A need is well covered. Those fruits are Rasberry, Apple, Kesemek, Kiwi, Jack Fruit, Tin fruit, Date, Blackberry, Plum, Peach, Guavva, Orange, Cherry, Star Fruit, Yellow Pumpkin and Sawo.
Vegetables
Vegetable is another source of vitamin A from the category of plants. It is commonly known that green vegetable is the type of vitamin A source yet to make surer, you could pay attention to the more complete information below. It lists some types of vegetable with high amount of vitamin A essence.
- Salad leaf; Vitamin A essence at salad leaf is particularly important for you in fighting anti aging signs, improving retina power and fighting Alzheimer disease.
- Basil leaf; Basil leaf has relatively high essence of vitamin A and is effective in controlling body sweat as well as perspiration.
- Mustard leaf; Vitamin A essence at the mustard leaf functions for detoxification through urine lane and improving the smooth of body metabolism.
- Red and green spinach; Spinach contains vitamin A essence functioning very well in improving eye quality particularly at the sharpness of retina in catching the light and the speed of shadow more accurately. (Read : Benefits of spinach during pregnancy)
- Long green bean; Consuming long green bean would fulfill your vitamin A need and will give you special benefit in improving body immune system.
- Papaya flower; In addition to fiber, papaya flower also contains vitamin A essence which would be very beneficial to support body health. Particularly its vitamin A essence, papaya flower helps to prevent the emergence of itchy problem because of contamination of free radical containing bacteria and fungus.
The main different between category of fruit and vegetable is about the way you consume or use it. In fruit category, you can eat the fruit, juice it or make it a mask main essence. At maximum, you could mix it cooking cake or other types of cook. Meanwhile, in vegetable category, you can eat them in raw consumption or cook it with various types of cooking or recipes. This means that relatively, you could be more creative in dealing with vegetable than what you have with your fruit. In addition to it, each type of vegetable usually has different functions to support your body health while fruit generally offers the same—or not too much different—benefit.
Disadvantages of Vitamin A Inadequacy
From all the explanation above, you will likely be able to imagine bad impact of vitamin A inadequacy. However, some of them may surprise you so you need to know them at brief as mentioned below;
- Eye problems for a newly-baby-born
- Damaged T cell which influence body immune stability
- Acute respiration infection hard to recover
- Acute dehydration on eye organ or acute drought causing damage in eye pure membrane
- Damaged a cell glant functioning to keep the skin away from drought, dehydration, itchy, scales and inflammation
- The hard process for intestine to absorb water as the damaged condition of urinary bladder.
You may never think about some of points mentioned above. However, having this information does not require you to consume vitamin A as much as possible because it would give a bad impact as well. Pay attention to the next part of explanation and find out how you should consume vitamin A in proper function.
Disadvantages of Vitamin A Excess
The proper consumption of vitamin A daily is about 750 mcg. If the vitamin A consumption surpasses the number, these bad consequences may occur;
- Disorder of menstruation cycles
- Hard to move body
- Repeated headache
- Vomiting and having nauseous with big fatigue
- Heart problem for a newly baby born
- Damaged liver and heart net gradually
- The emergence of bump or unsymmetrical head shape of a newly baby born
- Hydrocephalus (too big size of head for a newly baby born)
- Preventing USG tools to detect deformity at the baby’s body
- Too massive increase of calcium level inside the body. This condition could disturb body metabolism and decrease body immune significantly
- Eye drought
- Improper portion of collagen and natural oil causing skin fragile to any bacteria and fungus.
All by all, bad consequences of both vitamin A inadequacy and excess could occur and influence the eye health, the skin health as well as the condition of baby after the delivery. Therefore, as those three factors are very important and basic for your general health, it is fair to say that you could not ignore the consumption of vitamin A to assure you body health well kept and stable all the time. This is particularly important if you already have problems with your eyes and/skin or when you are in pregnancy period. Assuring the enough supply of vitamin A would assure long term health ‘facility’ and there would be nothing better and more valuable than that.
After paying attention to the explanation and all details above, you may wonder about the supplement of vitamin A. If you do so, you could consult to your doctor but generally, it is recommended for you to take vitamin A essence directly from its natural sources—animal or plants—instead of packaged product such as supplement and others. However, if you do not have much and enough time to find the natural essence and—sometimes—to cook it, it would be ok to consume supplement as long as you do not make it as the addiction.