Particularly rich sources of vitamin E are wheat germ oil, hazelnut oil and sunflower oil.
Many nuts, seeds and nut butters are also delicious sources of vitamin E.
One of the best ways to get a good dose of vitamin E is to combine it with a certain amount of fat.
Vitamin E is a vital nutrient with many health benefits. For example, it protects cells from free radical damage, which can contribute to aging, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The vitamin also strengthens the immune system. It also helps the body produce red blood cells and dilates blood vessels to prevent blood clots.
To reap these benefits, the recommended daily value for all persons 14 years and older is 15 milligrams of vitamin E per day. Deficiency is quite rare, but mostly affects people with digestive disorders that prevent healthy fat absorption. These include cystic fibrosis and Crohn's disease, for example.
Experts recommend getting nutrients through food rather than supplements whenever possible. That's because it's unclear how effectively nutrients are absorbed in isolation, i.e. in the form of supplements. In addition, vitamin E supplements can interact with some medications and cause unpleasant side effects such as nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, headaches and intestinal cramps, especially at high doses. Here are the best natural sources of vitamin E:
Vegetable oils are among the richest natural sources of vitamin E. One reason these oils are such an excellent source of vitamin E is their fat content. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin; which means the body can absorb it better when combined with fat. Try adding these oils to your salad dressings, drizzling them over pasta, or using them in cooking or baking.
Nuts and seeds
Vitamin E is very sensitive to heat, says nutritionist Noah Quezada. Therefore, the nutrient can be lost when nuts and seeds are roasted. How much the vitamin E content decreases depends on the type of nut, the roasting temperature and the roasting time. A 2017 study found that after roasting various nuts at 140 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes, the vitamin E content in almonds decreased by 20 percent and in hazelnuts by 16 percent. The higher the temperature, the more vitamin E was lost during the roasting process: At 320 – 240 degrees Celsius, the vitamin E content in almonds dropped by as much as 54 percent and in hazelnuts by 20 percent.
So it's better to eat nuts raw than roasted to get the maximum amount of vitamin E. However, most conventional nut butters – especially peanut butter – are made from roasted nuts, so they may be easier to find than raw nut butters.
NutsVitamin E content (2 tsp. for nut butter, approx. 30g for nuts and seeds)% daily requirement
Sunflower seed butter7.3 mg49% Sunflower seeds7.3 mg49% Whole almonds7.3 mg49% Almond butter3.9 mg26% Peanut butter2.9 mg19% Pine nuts2.6 mg17% Peanuts2.4 mg16% Brazil nuts1.6 mg11%
Remember that while nuts and seeds are a rich source of vitamin E, they're also very high in calories, Lopez says. In addition, certain flavored varieties – such as cashews with honey glaze, pecans with maple syrup, or toasted almonds – may contain additional sugar and sodium. For this reason, Lopez recommends limiting servings to 30 to 60 grams and either choosing flavor-neutral varieties whenever possible or looking at the ingredient label to make sure they contain little or no added salt or sugar.
Fruits don't contain quite as much vitamin E as nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, but they can still help meet your daily needs.
You can also combine fruit with fat sources to maximize your intake of vitamin E. Eat mango with full-fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, for example, or dip red bell pepper pieces in hummus.
FruitVitamin E content (100g)% daily requirement
Avocado2.1 mg14% Red bell pepper1.6 mg11% Kiwi1.5 mg10% Pumpkin1.1 mg7% Mango0.9 mg6%
Fruit also contains a variety of other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, folate, calcium and magnesium. Remember, however, that it's generally better to eat fruit whole than to make it into juice or a smoothie. When fruit is chopped in a blender, it loses some of its fiber. Not only do they contribute to a good feeling of satiety and promote a healthy digestive tract, but they also ensure that the body absorbs fructose more slowly. Here's how they prevent a rapid rise in blood sugar, Lopez says.
Vegetables
The vegetable with the highest vitamin E content is leafy greens because they contain chlorophyll, a plant pigment high in vitamin E. All of these vegetables can be eaten raw in a salad, Lopez says, but cooking them can mitigate some of the bitterness. She suggests sauteing them in oil, garlic and other spices such as red pepper to improve the flavor. An added benefit is that cooking these leafy greens in oil adds some fat, allowing the body to absorb more vitamin E.
VegetablesVitamin E content (100g)% daily requirement
Root vegetables2.9 mg19% Cabbage2.3 mg15% Spinach2 mg13% Beets1.5 mg10%
You can also add green leafy vegetables to your morning omelet or scrambled eggs, or make them with a hard-boiled egg for a light, protein-packed lunch. A small 2015 study found that participants who ate raw mixed vegetable salad with three cooked eggs absorbed 4.5 to 7.5 times more vitamin E than those who ate just plain salad without eggs.
Fish
Seafood contains more vitamin E than meat and poultry – and in fatty fish like salmon and trout, the fat content can improve absorption of this nutrient.
FishVitamin E content (100g)% daily requirement
Shellfish6.4 mg43% Salmon3.6 mg24% Rainbow trout2.3 mg15% Caviar1.9 mg13% Octopus1.2 mg8% Lobster1 mg7%
Summary
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can boost your immune system while warding off cell damage caused by free radicals and associated with many chronic diseases. Nutritionists say it's always better to get this important nutrient through food than in supplement form. There is a wide range of rich sources, from oils to nuts and seeds to fish, vegetables and fruits. Oils such as wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, hazelnut oil and almond oil contain the highest concentrations of vitamin E. Remember that your body can absorb vitamin E better when it is consumed in combination with fats such as salad dressing, avocado, cheese or nut butters.
This text was translated from English by Marlene Schulze. You can find the original here.