Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is a fat-soluble vitamin. It takes on a lot of different tasks in the human body. Vitamin A plays a significant role in the visual process because it is part of the visual retina in the retina. It also helps to build, maintain and protect the cells and membranes, thus ensuring healthy skin and mucous membranes. If the skin and mucous membranes are intact, this in turn has a positive effect on the immune system: parasites, bacteria and viruses have a harder time penetrating the inside of the body. An increase in the number of white blood cells is also due to vitamin A and can have a beneficial effect on the health. An even better immune system effect is Vitamin A when combined with Zinc. The recommended daily amount of vitamin A is about 0.8 - 1.8 mg. Vitamin A in its active form is found only in food of animal origin, such as cod liver oil, fish, butter or milk. In vegetable foods, it can only be found as provitamin A (the precursor of vitamin A). Particularly rich in provitamin A are all green, yellow or orange fruits and vegetables. If necessary, provitamin A is converted into vitamin A in the body. Care should always be taken to prepare foods containing provitamin A in combination with some fat, but the doubly unsaturated fatty acids (found in sunflower oil, for example) destroy provitamin. The more carefully the food is shredded (grated or mashed) the better the body can absorb it. Vitamin A is sensitive to light and oxygen, so foods should not be left open for long periods of time. If the organism is insufficiently supplied with vitamin A for a long time, it can lead to deficiency states. In addition to dry, chapped skin or mucosal defects, poor wound healing, increased susceptibility to infection and night blindness are other typical signs of vitamin A deficiency.
