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Vitamin E — Support Your Heart, Brain, and Immunity

Vitamin E.

Vitamin E is a strong, fat-soluble antioxidant that can really make a difference to our heart, our immune system, our brain, and our cells. We can find it in sunflower seeds, almonds, leafy greens, and in some vegetables and fruits. Yet, 93% of Americans aren’t getting enough. This is likely because they’re not getting enough plants in their diet. Animal-based foods are not a good source of this nutrient.

Getting this vitamin from supplements is not our best choice. Taken in high amounts can lead to toxicity which could result in hemorrhage, or even a stroke. But even if we stay under the Tolerable Upper Intake limits, vitamin E supplements are associated with a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.

Our best choice is to get it from some of its multiple plant-based sources. We can never get too much of this vitamin from plants, but to absorb it, we do need to follow a balanced diet that includes some healthy fatty foods. In fact, some of its top sources are healthy fatty foods!

Below, you will learn more about what this important nutrient does for our body, its top sources, and some interesting facts. Plus, you can use our personalized nutrition calculator to determine how much you and your family need.

Top Whole-Food, Plant-Based Sources of Vitamin E

The top source are sunflower seeds, followed closely by almonds. But there are many other delicious sources that provide us with a good amount. Hover over each food below to see how much of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin E you can get with one serving. Click on each food’s picture to visit its interactive page.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

1/4 c without shell = 82% DV

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Avocado

Avocado

1 fruit = 17% DV

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Almonds

Almonds

1/4 c raw = 61% DV

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Collard Greens

Collard Greens

1 c cooked = 21% DV

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Spinach

Spinach

1 c cooked = 24% DV

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Mango

Mango

2 c or 1 fruit = 19% DV

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Asparagus

Asparagus

1 c boiled = 18% DV

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Broccoli

Broccoli

1 c cooked = 15% DV

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Vitamin E Personalized Calculator

See how much vitamin E you and each member of your family needs. Getting your personalized nutrition values will give you a better idea of how to plan your meals and family portions. You can never get too much of this nutrient through plant-based foods, but unless you’re currently following a well-balanced whole-foods, plant-based diet, chances are that you and your loved ones are not getting enough

Terminology:

  • Daily Value (DV): The recommended amount of nutrients to consume each day for individuals who are 4 years old or older.
  • Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA): The recommended amount of nutrients to consume each day according to the individual’s age, gender, and whether a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Upper Intake Level (UL): The highest amount of nutrient intake that will not pose adverse health effects on most individuals.

How Our Body Uses Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a key nutrient for our heart, our brain, our immunity, and our cells. Hover over each pointer below for more details on how this vitamin aids our body. Click on the pointer to visit the specific body part’s interactive page to discover what other nutrients support it, the best sources to find them, and other interesting facts.

A woman and child standing next to each other.
A woman and child holding hands in front of a black background.

Important Things to Know About Vitamin E

Hover over each of the interesting facts below to flip the tiles and learn more details.

Check out the interesting facts below! Tap on the red triangles to flip the tiles and learn more details.

Vitamin E from plant-based sources helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Multiple studies worldwide have shown that increasing our intake of vitamin E from food can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by about a half! However, increasing it via supplements does not have an effect on reducing AD risk.

Vitamin E and Vitamin C BFFs.

Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant, and vitamin C is its sidekick. Flip to see why.

When a vitamin E molecule neutralizes a free radical, it becomes oxidized and can no longer work as an antioxidant. That’s when vitamin C comes in, repairing it by accepting its unpaired electron. This allows vitamin E to continue working as a free radical chain-breaking antioxidant. Learn more.

As a fat-soluble vitamin, the best way to absorb it is by eating it with fatty foods.

Fortunately, many sources are already fatty foods such as sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, and avocado! If you’re getting it from other sources like leafy greens, vegetables or fruits, be sure to accompany them with a healthy fatty food. Absorption from supplements or low-fat foods is minimal when not taken with fatty foods.

Severe vitamin E deficiency can lead to blindness. On the flip side…

A study showed that vitamin E combined with vitamin C, beta carotene, and zinc, provided protection against advanced age-related macular degeneration. On its own, this vitamin did not seem to have an effect. Luckily, a balanced WFPB (whole-foods, plant-based) diet would include all these nutrients.

Looking for more reasons to quit? How about avoiding vitamin E deficiency?

Smokers might be at a higher risk of deficiency because they use up vitamin E faster. A study revealed that blood plasma levels of this nutrient dropped 13% faster in smokers. A deficiency in vitamin C intake made this more troublesome as it cannot help repair vitamin E. All this can result in a higher risk of developing cancer.

Vitamin E supplements could increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Despite the established Tolerable Upper Intake levels that indicate it’s safe for adults to take up to 1000 mg a day, a large study showed that taking as little as 400 IU (180 mg) daily for many years increases the risk of prostate cancer in men by 17%. Another strong argument for choosing WFPB (whole-food, plant-based) sources over supplements.

Vitamin E from plant-based sources helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Multiple studies worldwide have shown that increasing our intake of vitamin E from food can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by about a half! However, increasing it via supplements does not have an effect on reducing AD risk.

Vitamin E and Vitamin C BFFs.

Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant, and vitamin C is its sidekick. Flip to see why.

When a vitamin E molecule neutralizes a free radical, it becomes oxidized and can no longer work as an antioxidant. That’s when vitamin C comes in, repairing it by accepting its unpaired electron. This allows vitamin E to continue working as a free radical chain-breaking antioxidant. Learn more.

As a fat-soluble vitamin, the best way to absorb it is by eating it with fatty foods.

Fortunately, many sources are already fatty foods such as sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, and avocado! If you’re getting it from other sources like leafy greens, vegetables or fruits, be sure to accompany them with a healthy fatty food. Absorption from supplements or low-fat foods is minimal when not taken with fatty foods.

Severe vitamin E deficiency can lead to blindness. On the flip side…

A study showed that vitamin E combined with vitamin C, beta carotene, and zinc, provided protection against advanced age-related macular degeneration. On its own, this vitamin did not seem to have an effect. Luckily, a balanced WFPB (whole-foods, plant-based) diet would include all these nutrients.

Looking for more reasons to quit? How about avoiding vitamin E deficiency?

Smokers might be at a higher risk of deficiency because they use up vitamin E faster. A study revealed that blood plasma levels of this nutrient dropped 13% faster in smokers. A deficiency in vitamin C intake made this more troublesome as it cannot help repair vitamin E. All this can result in a higher risk of developing cancer.

Vitamin E supplements could increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Despite the established Tolerable Upper Intake levels that indicate it’s safe for adults to take up to 1000 mg a day, a large study showed that taking as little as 400 IU (180 mg) daily for many years increases the risk of prostate cancer in men by 17%. Another strong argument for choosing WFPB (whole-food, plant-based) sources over supplements.

Vitamin E Sources Comparison

You may be wondering about other potential sources of vitamin E aside from delicious seeds, nuts, vegetables and fruit. Though, why would you? In case you do, check out our quick comparison between whole plants, supplements, and animal-based products. For vitamin E the top choice is clear!

Best source!
Plant-Based
We can get all the vitamin E we need by eating a balanced WFPB diet without the risk of toxicity.
Be sure to include a small amount of healthy fatty-foods such as nuts, seeds, or avocado to enhance absorption.
Supplements
Vitamin E supplements can interfere with medications and treatments, including: anticoagulants or antiplatelets, statin and niacin taken together, and chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
People deficient in vitamin K should not take vitamin E supplements without medical supervision to avoid an increased risk of bleeding.
Pregnant women should avoid vitamin E as a single nutrient supplement because it may be associated with increased abdominal pain and premature rupture of the amniotic sac.
Animal-based
Vitamin E is present in very small amounts in animal-based products.

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