Vitamin E is a type of fat-soluble vitamin. It acts as an antioxidant, and it helps to remove loose electrons identified as free radicals that can destroy cells. There are many forms of vitamin E, but the human body uses only alpha-tocopherol. It plays a vital role in improving the immunity system and helps in preventing clot forming in heart arteries. In 1980 scientists discovered free radical damages. The damage was about vitamin E in the initial stages of artery-clogging atherosclerosis. It can also lead to cancer, loss of eyesight, and other prolonged illnesses.
What Is Vitamin E? Why Is It Essential?
Table of Contents
Vitamin E is a group of compounds containing tocopherols and tocotrienols – These compounds develop many forms of vitamin E. It fights free radicals improves overall health.
Vitamin E is a multi-functional vitamin – other than being a fat-soluble antioxidant, it regulates enzyme activity and helps in smooth muscle growth. It also affects gene expression and promotes eye and neurological health.
Signs of Vitamin E Deficiency
You can get vitamin E from some foods and supplements. People with digestive problems and not able to absorb fat properly because of celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatitis may develop a vitamin E deficiency. Here are the common signs of this deficiency.
Retinopathy, the damage of the retina in the eyes and impair vision.
Peripheral neuropathy: the damage of nerves, feet, and weakness.
Ataxia: a loss of body movement control.
Reduced immune function
Toxicity
There is no evidence of vitamin E toxic effects. Most adults get more than the RDA of 22 IU daily are using separate vitamin E supplement or multivitamin that consist anywhere from 400-1000 IU daily. There are no reports about the harmful effects of vitamin E supplements. However, when your intake of more than 1000 mg daily vitamin E in people with blood-thinning medication may increase bleeding risk. For this reason, 1000 mg is recommended daily for adults over 19 years.
Vitamin E Rich Foods
Wheat Germ Oil
- Vitamin E – 326 milligrams
- Serving size – 218 grams
- DV% – 1628%
All types of plant oils have rich vitamin E, and amongst them, wheat germ oil gives the highest content. Other plants that provide rich vitamin E include cottonseed, sunflower, coconut oils, and olive. You can purchase the unrefined, cold-pressed, and organic variety of these oils.
How to add it to Diet?
You can commonly use these oils in cooking.
Almonds
- Vitamin E – 24.9 milligrams
- Serving size – 95 grams
- DV% – 125%
Almonds are also a good reservoir of vitamin E. They provide rich and natural vitamins. Almonds also give the fiber that promotes digestion and stops digestive problems.
At one point, people think that almonds contain high fat, and there is the belief that consuming fat would make you gain weight. Not almonds provide plant-based fat, which is high in protein and fiber also. It helps to slim your body that is why almonds are suggested by most dietitians for snacks.
How to add it to Diet?
Although it is always suggested to consume fresh almonds, you can eat almond milk and almond oil.
Peanut Butter
- Vitamin E – 23.2 mg
- Serving size – 258 g
- DV% – 116%
Peanut butter has high calories but also provides fiber that helps in weight loss. Peanut butter also provides rich magnesium that assists in building bone. It also provides good fat.
How To Add In Your Diet?
Use the peanut butter with whole-grain bread and eat-in breakfast. If you are avoiding gluten or grains, you can use the nut butter to celery sticks or fruit. You can also consume nut-based crackers.
Hazelnuts
- Vitamin E – 17.3 milligrams
- Serving size – 115 grams
- DV% – 86%
Hazelnuts are also rich food of vitamin E and folate. The former helps cell and energy metabolism, while the latter benefits in DNA synthesis and repair. The nuts also provide calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
How To Add In Your Diet?
You can also add hazelnuts to baked goods and salads.
Pine Nuts
- Vitamin E – 12.6 milligrams
- Serving size – 135 grams
- DV% – 63%
The nutrients in pine nuts also promote energy. They are exceptionally best in magnesium also; the low level can cause fatigue.
How To Add In Your Diet?
Add pine nuts in pasta or sandwich spread. You can also include toasted pine nuts in salads for more crunch.
Dried Apricots
- Vitamin E – 5.6 milligrams
- Serving size – 130 grams
- DV% – 28%
Dried apricots consist of a moderate quantity of edible fiber and essential vitamins like vitamin E. The fiber content helps in digestion and cholesterol regulation. Vitamin E improves skin and hair health.
How To Add In Your Diet?
You can mix dried apricots in the fruit salad.
Granola
- Vitamin E – 3.5 milligram
- Serving size – 45 grams
- DV% – 18%
Granola is the best source of fiber, which is an important nutrient that benefits to fight heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. It also consists of omega-3 fatty acids like nuts, which provide other benefits to improve skin and heart health.
How To Add In Your Diet?
You can add grain-free granola for breakfast.
Kiwi
- Vitamin E – 2.6 mg
- Serving size – 177 g
- DV% – 13%
With vitamin E, kiwi also provides vitamin C that promotes immunity. They also provide serotonin, which treats insomnia and induces sleep.
How To Add In Your Diet?
Add kiwis to yogurt and fruit salad.
Taro Root
- Vitamin E – 2.5 milligrams
- Serving size – 104 grams
- DV% – 12%
Taro root is also rich in different antioxidants like cryptoxanthin and beta carotene, which promote vision health. A high level of vitamin C also promotes the immune system.
How To Add In Your Diet?
You can replace the potato with taro root in a vegetable salad.
Red (Or Green) Bell Peppers
- Vitamin E – 2.4 milligrams
- Serving size – 149 grams
- DV% – 12%
Red bell peppers also consist of zeaxanthin and lutein, two antioxidants that help eye health. They are also a good source of iron and rich in vitamin C, which helps in iron absorption and prevents anemia.
How To Add In Your Diet?
You can include finely chopped red bell peppers in your leafy salads or grain. You might even include them in the breakfast omelet.
Paprika
- Vitamin E – 2 mg
- Serving size – 7 g
- DV% – 10%
Paprika is also a rich source of iron that helps for energy generation. The capsaicin present in paprika is helpful to relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure.
How To Add In Your Diet
You can include spoonful paprika in your favorite hummus for more flavor. You can also season soups prepared at home with paprika.
Turnip Greens
- Vitamin E – 1.6 milligrams
- Serving size – 55 grams
- DV% – 8%
While turnip greens taste bitter, they also provide vitamin E and many other important nutrients – one of them being vitamin C, which boosts skin and hair health. Moreover, it offers enough folate also.
How to Add in your Diet?
Add raw turnip greens in salads or sandwiches. You can also boil and add in soups.
Mustard Greens
- Vitamin E – 1.1 milligrams
- Serving size – 56 grams
- DV% – 6%
Like Swiss chard, mustard greens are very nutritious, offer many health benefits. They are one of the high carriers of vitamin E, vitamin A, K, C, and folate.
How To Add In Your Diet?
Although they have the best taste, we suggest using them in salads or par-cooking them to get more benefits.
Margarine
- Vitamin E – 1.3 mg
- Serving size – 14 g
- DV% – 6%
Margarine contains rich vitamin E as it is extracted from vegetable oils. It also has high healthy unsaturated fats and low saturated fat levels. These could be helpful to the heart. But some brands of margarine might also have trans fats. Therefore, check the labels before you purchase. Also, go for those brands consisting of corn oil as it offers an extra dose of vitamin E.
How To Add In Your Diet
You can also change butter with margarine on breakfast toast.
Whole Grain (Wheat)
- Vitamin E – 1 milligram
- Serving size – 120 grams
- DV% – 5%
Whole grain wheat is also linked with healthy weight loss and a lowered risk of metabolic syndrome. It also provides magnesium, which is essential for diabetes treatment.
How To Add In Your Diet
You can make whole-grain salads like whole wheat and eat breakfast.
Papaya
- Vitamin E – 1 milligram
- Serving size – 140 grams
- DV% – 5%
Papaya also provides strong antioxidant properties that stop the various disease. It can also fight inflammation and prevent indigestion.
How To Add In Your Diet
You can include fresh papaya into a fruit smoothie.
Broccoli
- Vitamin E – 0.7 milligrams
- Serving size – 91 grams
- DV% – 4%
Broccoli is one of the rich food with vitamin E. It also provides vitamin K and vitamin C, which help in bone and skin health.
How To Add In Your Diet
Simply steam broccoli and add to breakfast.
Tomatoes
- Vitamin E – 0.8 mg
- Serving size – 149 g
- DV% – 4%
The tomato is a very healthful vegetable/fruit. They contain high lycopene, which is an antioxidant that helps to prevent cancer and other diseases.
How To Add In Your Diet
You can include sliced tomatoes in a sandwich, or even make tomato soup for a meal.
Swiss Chard
- Vitamin E – 0.7 milligrams
- Serving size – 36 grams
- DV% – 3%
This green leafy vegetable provides your body with added essential vitamins, including vitamin E. The swiss chard is also a good source of vitamin A, K, C. It also provides magnesium, potassium, iron, and fiber.
How To Add In Your Diet
You can enjoy this swiss chard raw in sandwiches or salad. You can also add soups.
Grass-Fed Butter
- Vitamin E – 0.4 mg
- Serving size – 14 g
- DV% – 2%
Grass Feb butter is one of some sources of butyric acid, which is popular to fight inflammation. Additionally, to vitamin E, the butter consists of vitamin A, which is important for skin and vision.
How to Add in diet?
Add grass-fed butter to breakfast toast.
Parsley
- Vitamin E – 0.4 milligrams
- Serving size – 60 grams
- DV% – 2%
Parsley helps to fight another harmful diseases like diabetes and cancer. It is also a valuable source of vitamin K that promotes bone health. Though fresh parsley is better, you can also add dried parsley to food.
How To Add In Your Diet
Simply add and sprinkle in a salad.
Olives
- Vitamin E – 0.1 milligram
- Serving size – 8 grams
- DV% – 1%
Olive oil is a rich source of vitamin E. It provides oleic acid to regulate cholesterol levels to improve heart health.
How To Add In Your Diet
Add it to salad, pizza, and pasta.
Oregano
- Vitamin E – 0.2 mg
- Serving size – 1 g
- DV% – 1%
Oregano is known to show anticancer activity. It also contains synthesis that can help in the treatment of diabetes.
How To Add In Your Diet
Add oregano to sandwiches or salad.
What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin E?
Lowers oxidative stress
Like rust on a car or bike, a similar oxidation process occurs during the aging process in the body when cells are exposed to free radicals’ molecules.
Free radicals affect weaken and tear down healthy cells. These molecules may cause chronic health problems like cancer and heart diseases. Oxidative stress happens when there is an irregularity between antioxidants guard and reactive oxygen or free radicals.
Antioxidants help to neutralize free radicals, therefore defensing against cellular damage. Vitamin E serves as an antioxidant in the body, and analysis is looking at how it is anti-inflammatory features might help to ease or managing some persistent conditions when taken as a supplement.
Moisturizing Agent
As oil-soluble nutrients, vitamin E is a highly water-soluble product. Applying vitamin E helps to stop moisture loss, dehydration and restore dull skin. Mix a couple of vitamin E oil drops into your regular moisturizing lotion or virgin olive oil, and use them to the skin before sleeping.
Vitamin E Reverses Signs Aging
Vitamin E helps to prevent premature aging of the skin and prevent wrinkles, and saggy skin. Vitamin E improves the basic production of protein collagen help to maintain the elasticity of the skin, resulting in lowering wrinkles and fine lines of the skin, which are the first sign of aging.
Vitamin E Treats Sunburns
Free radicals occurred by ultraviolet radiation can lead to sunburn and dark spots. Vitamin E helps to neutralize the damage and servicing and comforts sunburnt skin. You can rub the skin with vitamin E oil.
Vitamin E Lightens Dark Spots
Free radicals cause harm to the hyperpigmentation of affected zones, which show up as deep spots. Doing these methods use vitamin E capsule into a spoon of moisturizer or olive oil and use dark part of spots. Continue this treatment to lighten spots.
Vitamin E: Cleansing Agent
Vitamin E oil is a heavy emollient, which is easy to deep cleanse surface impurities and dirt. It also supports an oil balance. Take some vitamin E oil in hand or clean with a cotton ball and lightly wipe your face with a cleaner.
Ease Osteoarthritis Symptoms
Osteoarthritis is a chronic problem that causes joints degeneration and leads to stiffness and pain. Researchers have found that vitamin E supplementation and osteoarthritis have found promising results that still need to be verified with further studies.
One small study from 2017 discovered with late-stage knee osteoarthritis had 400IU of vitamin E once a day for two months and improved clinical symptoms and lowered oxidative stress conditions.
Manage diabetes
Diabetes is another health disease that gets affected by insulin resistance because of more oxidative stress in the body. There have been different studies about vitamin E supplementation and type 1- type 2 diabetes and there does seem to be evidence that vitamin E may help to delay this disease and its symptoms. Taking vitamin E from food is a valuable strategy for managing diabetes complications.
Beneficial For Your Skin
Vitamin E is a common ingredient present in cosmetics for younger-looking skin. Vitamin E helps to guard against body again oxidative stress, it may help to save skin from environmental stressors. While some research has shown that topical vitamin E may contain photoprotective qualities that protect against sunlight.
Coronary Heart Disease
While some research Source has recommended a link between the lowered rate of heart disease with more vitamin E, on middle-aged people have not shown evidence that vitamin E supplementation stops cardiovascular disease or lower its mortality or severity.
Age-related eye conditions
Oxidative stress help eye disorders such as cataracts, which can become more prevalent as age increase. While some studies have recommended a potential link between vitamin E supplement and a lowered chance of cataracts formation, there is not presently sufficient evidence to offer a definitive conclusion.
Cognitive decline
Free radical damage in neurons in the brain can cause cognitive decline and diseases of neurodegeneration. There is less research about positive results and how vitamin E benefits cognitive decline.
Cancer
If free radicals in the body remained uncleared, they can cause cancer. When it comes to vitamin E’s antioxidant for cancer prevention, the evidence is low and uneven at this point to help taking vitamin E to prevent cancer.
Also, consuming more vitamin E supplements can cause a risk of prostate cancer.
What Is The Suggested Daily Allowance Of Vitamin E?
As we have seen, vegetable oils are high sources of vitamin E. Among nuts, almonds are the richest source. But what we need to understand is that most of the foods contain rich vitamin E with high calories. If you are trying to lower calories, you might be skipping these foods. Vitamin E is very essential.
Children
Vitamin E – Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
1 – 3 Years: 6 mg per day (9 IU)
4 – 8 Years: 7 mg per day (10.4 IU)
9 – 13 Years: 11 mg per day (16.4 IU)
Women
14 years and up 15 mg per day (22.4 IU)
Pregnant 15 mg per day (22.4 IU)
Breastfeeding 19 mg per day (28.5 IU)
Men
14 years and up 15 mg per day (22.4 IU)
How to Improve Your Vitamin E Intake?
Add all foods we have mentioned above to your diet. You can begin cooking with vegetable oils. Change your evening pack of chips with fresh vegetables and fruit salad, and toss with vitamin E foods. You can also eat a fruit smoothie with toast and peanut butter for everyday breakfast.
Natural Vitamin E Supplements
Natural vitamin E belongs to eight different compounds which are 4-tocotrienols and 4-tocopherols. This means, if you eat some whole foods, you will have these 8-compounds. But a synthetic vitamin E supplement consists of only one of the eight supplements – alpha-tocopherol. Therefore, a vitamin E pill is not a good idea. The capsules cannot provide you what natural sources can.
Some vitamin E supplements are Succinate and Acetate. Though the latter is called to avoid heart disease also, we still suggest going the natural way.
Vitamin E Deficiency Risk
- Anemia
- Cataracts
- Neurological issues
- Neuromuscular issues
- Reduction in sex drive
- Immune response impairment
Even high consumption of vitamin E also causes toxicity. Though the symptoms are not more, they include nausea, muscle weakness, diarrhea, and fatigue. The most notable risk is bleeding, which is not common with under 1000 mg per day.
Interactions with medication
Vitamin E can interact with some medications. While some examples are listed below, it is always necessary to talk with your physician about the supplement you are consuming before you begin the prescription of medication.
Vitamin E may cause negative interactions with
- Simvastatin and niacin
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Antiplatelet medications
- Anticoagulant