Veges good source of vitamin A

WASHINGTON - Carrots, broccoli and other coloured vegetables give people about half as much vitamin A as had been thought, but are still excellent sources of the vital vitamin, say US Government advisers.

Nearly all Americans receive plenty of the nutrient, as well as other vitamins such as K, minerals such as iron, and trace elements such as chromium, copper and iodine, says the Institute of Medicine.

"You can eat half a cup of cooked carrots and get the full RDA (recommended daily allowance) of vitamin A," said Robert Russell, a professor of medicine and nutrition at Tufts University in Boston.

In the US, milk, cereal and other products are fortified with vitamin A. Professor Russell said people who ate the five-a-day recommended intake of fruit and vegetables should easily meet their needs.

The institute reduced its recommendations for iron, saying no one should take in more than 45mg a day. Men and women past menopause risk accumulating too much in their bodies, which can increase the risk of heart attack.

Advisers stressed that food, and not vitamin pills, is the best source of nearly all vitamins in the diet.

- REUTERS