Vitamin A might not always grab the headlines like some of its vitamin cousins.
But it’s seriously important.
This essential nutrient helps with everything from seeing in the dark to fighting off germs.
Despite its low profile, vitamin A is a big deal for our bodies, making sure our eyes, skin, gut and immune system are all running smoothly.
It has been proven to be effective against the worst of all cancers – pancreatic tumours.
This evil condition has the lowest survival rate of any malignancies in the UK, and sufferers have very few options for treatment other than ways to control pain.
However, a team of doctors at Cambridge University once spent four years looking at how they could impact on the 7,500 patients who die every year. Their findings left the medical world astounded because no-one had previously considered how effective simple vitamins could be against such aggressive diseases.
They showed that vitamin A acts a little like the cavalry in a John Wayne western.
When the body detects the development of abnormal cell growth as the tumour starts to form it floods the area with vitamin A, packing it into the cells around the cancer.
I can just envision the beleaguered pancreas being attacked by a war-like invasion…. only for the bugle to be heard as the massed ranks of salvation gallops into view and saves the day.
How to get more vitamin A
Vitamin A comes in two forms: preformed vitamin A (found in animal products like dairy, fish, and meat, especially liver) and provitamin A (found in plants).
Including sources of preformed vitamin A like dairy products, eggs, and oily fish can help boost your intake.
Vitamin A is fat-soluble, meaning your body absorbs it best when consumed with a bit of fat. Ensure your meals include healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, or olive oil to maximise absorption.
You should also eat a variety of colourful vegetables and fruits like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, and apricots which are high in beta-carotene, a compound your body can convert into vitamin A.
There are two fantastic food sources of vitamin A that I love – broccoli from the garden and mackerel from the sea.
These are cheap, plentiful and delicious when combined with one of my favourite things ever… ginger.
For example, let me share a dish that Lara and I often indulge in after a hard day in the garden, or after a long walk out.
It’s a delicious, warming and invigorating way to end the day, and works best if accompanied by a cold glass of something refreshing…I leave the choice to you.
Ingredients;
Fresh whole mackerel
Fresh grated ginger
Spring onions
Garlic
Soy sauce
Dry sherry (or rice wine)
Broccoli
Walnuts
Vegetable oil
Wash and clean the mackerel and fill the cavity with the grated ginger, sliced spring onions and crushed garlic.
Put into a foil parcel with a tablespoon of sherry (or rice wine) and a splash of soy sauce – put into a hot oven (gas Mark 6, 200c/400F) for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile steam the broccoli for 5 minutes to keep a crunch to it and mix it with some more spring onions which have been lightly fried and finished with a splash of soy sauce, then mixed with the walnuts.
Serve the tasty fish and broccoli mix!
