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ShareRetinol, the animal form of vitamin A, is a yellow fat-soluble, antioxidant vitamin important in vision and bone growth.
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It belongs to the family of chemical compounds known as retinoids.
Retinol is ingested in a precursor form; animal sources (milk and eggs) contain retinyl esters, whereas plants (carrots, spinach) contain pro-vitamin A carotenoids.
Hydrolysis of retinyl esters results in retinol while pro-vitamin A carotenoids can be cleaved to produce retinal.
Vitamin A is required in the production of rhodopsin, the visual pigment used in low light levels.
This is why eating foods rich in vitamin A is said to allow you to see in the dark.
For more information about the topic Vitamin A, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:
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