Posts Tagged ‘beta-carotene’
Vitamin A
A fat-soluble vitamin that is necessary for healthy vision, particularly vision in dim light. It is also essential for growth and the integrity of mucous tissue (in the mouth, eyes, nose, and genitals). Vitamin A deficiency causes stunted growth, night blindness, and drying and thickening of the cornea, which can progress eventually to blindness. The vitamin occurs in foods of animal origin, especially milk products, egg yolk, and liver, and it can be formed in the body from beta-carotene, a pigment found in vegetables, especially carrots, cabbage, and lettuce. Read the rest of this entry »