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Table 1. RAE in Plant Foods
Food	Size	RAE
Carrot juice	1 C	2,256
Butternut squash	1 C	1,114
Sweet Potato	1 medium, baked	1,096
Pumpkin	1/2 C canned	953
Carrot	1/2 C boiled slices	665
Carrot	1 medium	509
Spinach	1/2 C cooked	472
Cantaloupe	1/2 medium (552 g)	467
Kale	1/2 C cooked	442
Broccoli	1 C boiled	120
Mango	1 C pieces	89
Apricot	1/2 C dried	80
Apricot	1 raw	17
RAE - Retinol activity equivalents

Vitamin A

Pre-formed vitamin A exists only in animal products. However, there are about 50 carotenoids that the body can convert into vitamin A; the most common is beta-carotene. The vitamin A content of foods is now stated as retinol activity equivalents (RAE).

The DRI is 900 RAE for men and 700 RAE for women.

Vitamin A deficiency symptoms begin with night blindness and if it progresses can lead to the more severe eye problems of corneal ulcers, scarring, and blindness (1). Vitamin A deficiency also reduces immunity, and it is important for growth and development in infants and children and in red blood cell formation (1).

Cooking vegetables and including some fat with high RAE foods should help increase absorption of vitamin A.

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References