Vitamin A – The Glow-in-the-dark Vitamin By David Leonhardt The ancient Egyptians had a cure for "night blindness". They fed
patient lots and lots of liver. Perhaps they thought they were appeasing Gods of sight. In 1930, first fat-soluble vitamin was discovered - vitamin A - which, it turns out, does indeed appease Gods of sight.
Vitamin A is best known for improving eyesight, particularly at night, which is one of two reasons we call it glow-in-the-dark vitamin. But eyes are not only part of your body grateful for your generous consumption of vitamin A.
Your skin also benefits. And your hair. And mucous membranes. And nails. In fact, almost any surface lining your body can find.
Your immune system benefits, too, giving you added resources to ward off infections. Bones and teeth are strengthened with proper amounts of vitamin A, and even risk of some cancers can be reduced with vitamin A.
And there are more confirmed and suspected benefits.
The other reason we call Vitamin A glow-in-the-dark vitamin is because it is best known as bright orange color in so many foods we enjoy. Like pumpkins, pumpkin pie and my favorite: pumpkin cheesecake ( see my recipe at http://www.thehappyguy.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-recipe.html ). And, of course, carrots, squash, peaches, apricots, cantaloupe, mangoes, sweet potatoes and rest of orange-spangled veggie gang.
But again, vitamin A is much more than meets eye, because it is not actually vitamin A that turns fruit and vegetables orange, but a precursor to vitamin A called beta carotene. Beta carotene does not become vitamin A until your body processes it.
