Vegan Sources of Vitamin A
30 April 2025
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that supports key functions throughout the body.
It plays a major role in vision, immune health, reproduction, and even how your cells communicate with each other.
When following a vegan diet, it’s important to understand how to get enough of this vital nutrient from plant-based sources.
As vegan dietitians, we’ll walk you through the role of vitamin A, the best vegan-friendly sources, and simple tips to help you easily incorporate more vitamin A into your daily meals.
The Role of Vitamin A in Your Body
Vitamin A plays several critical roles in keeping your body healthy. Here are some of the most important:
- Vision:
Vitamin A is essential for maintaining eye health and can help prevent conditions like night blindness. - Immune function:
Getting enough vitamin A supports your immune system by maintaining the integrity and function of your skin and mucosal cells, both of which act as important barriers against infection. - Cell growth:
Vitamin A is involved in the growth and development of all cells, especially those in your skin and digestive system. - Reproduction:
Adequate vitamin A intake is essential for reproductive health in men and women.
Top Vegan Sources of Vitamin A
When following a vegan or plant-based diet, you’ll primarily get vitamin A in the form of provitamin A carotenoids, such as beta-carotene.
Your body can easily convert these carotenoids into the active form of vitamin A it needs.
In the table below, we highlight the top vegan sources of vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids, using data from USDA FoodData Central.
| Food Item | Serving Size | Vitamin A (RAE) |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet Potato (baked, flesh) | 1 cup | 1,096 mcg |
| Carrots (raw, chopped) | 1 cup | 835 mcg |
| Butternut Squash (cooked) | 1 cup | 1,144 mcg |
| Spinach (cooked) | 1 cup | 943 mcg |
| Kale (cooked) | 1 cup | 885 mcg |
| Collard Greens (cooked) | 1 cup | 722 mcg |
| Red Bell Pepper (raw, chopped) | 1 cup | 117 mcg |
| Mango (sliced) | 1 cup | 89 mcg |
| Cantaloupe (cubed) | 1 cup | 270 mcg |
| Apricots (raw, sliced) | 1 cup | 158 mcg |
Note: RAE = Retinol Activity Equivalents
Tips for Incorporating Vitamin A-Rich Foods Into a Vegan Diet
As a team of vegan dietitians focused on plant-based living, we understand that making sure you get all the nutrients you need can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Here are a few simple tips we use ourselves—and with our clients—to help maintain a strong nutrient intake and easily meet vitamin A needs:
- Go for color:
Include a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your meals. Different colors often mean different types of carotenoids, which your body can convert into vitamin A as needed. - Cook for better absorption:
Cooking certain vegetables, like carrots and spinach, can increase the bioavailability of beta-carotene, making it easier for your body to absorb and convert into vitamin A. - Pair with healthy fats:
Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, it’s best absorbed when eaten with healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, or avocados. - Smoothies and soups:
Blend vitamin A-rich foods like spinach and kale into smoothies, or add butternut squash to soups to seamlessly boost your vitamin A intake. - Snack smart:
Keep vitamin A-rich snacks like chopped carrots or dried apricots on hand. They’re easy to transport and make it simple to sneak in extra nutrients throughout the day.
By planning and preparing ahead—such as chopping vegetables for easy snacking—you can meet your vitamin A needs in a way that feels natural, sustainable, and supports your long-term health.
Final Thoughts
There are many ways to introduce vitamin A-rich foods into your meals while staying true to your vegan, plant-based, or vegetarian lifestyle.
With a little planning and preparation, you can boost both your intake and absorption of vitamin A to support your body’s wide range of needs.
The key often lies in having easy, accessible snacks and nutrient-rich foods ready to go, making it simple to nourish yourself day to day.
Our vegan and plant-based dietitians have extensive personal and professional experience in this area. Feel free to reach out—
We offer free discovery calls to help you discuss your needs and create a personalized plan that fits your lifestyle with a consultation.
