Top 10 Foods Highest in Beta Carotene

Written by Daisy Whitbread BSc (Hons) MSc DipION Medically Reviewed by Dr. Patricia Shelton Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed. Powered by USDA Nutrition Data.Last Updated: November 10, 2024 Beta-carotene is a carotenoid compound responsible for giving fruits and vegetables their orange pigment. Beta-carotene is a fat-soluble vitamin, so eating it along with foods with fat such as olive oil or nuts, can help to boost absorption. (1) Like alpha-carotene, beta-carotene is a precursor for creating vitamin A in the body. The amount of vitamin A is measured in retinol activity equivalents (RAE). (2) The current daily value for vitamin A is 900mcg of RAE. (3)There is no official recommended daily allowance (RDA) for beta-carotene, but a figure of 10800mcg per day can be used as a general target. This is based on the rate of conversion of beta-carotene into vitamin A. It takes 12mcg of beta-carotene to create 1mcg of RAE. (2)Foods high in beta-carotene include sweet potatoes, carr...