• Vitamins and Supplements

5 Foods High in Vitamin E That You Should Be Eating

Do you feel sluggish, struggle with your skin, or find yourself becoming sick more often despite your healthy eating habits? This could be a sign that your diet is lacking vitamin E.

Consuming enough vitamin E is vital for maintaining essential processes, such as supporting immune function and promoting healthy skin.

In this article, we’ll explore the best vitamin E-rich foods and how to include them in your diet to boost your intake and improve your health. 

What is Vitamin E and Why is it Important?

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient that plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health.

It primarily acts as a powerful antioxidant, protecting your cells from free radical damage and oxidative stress — two factors known for causing chronic diseases like prostate cancer.

Vitamin E is also essential for immune function, healthy skin, and protecting your eyes from age-related macular degeneration. 

How much vitamin E should you consume?

The amount of vitamin E you need depends on your age, gender, and life stage. Generally, the recommended dietary intake (RDI) is as follows:

Elderly individuals and those with children should consult their doctor about the appropriate RDI of vitamin E for their health needs.

This helps ensure that they can meet their nutritional needs without increasing their risk of deficiency or overdose. 

Top Dietary Sources of Vitamin E 

Nuts and seeds 

Nuts and seeds are among the richest sources of Vitamin E. They are easy to incorporate into your diet, whether as snacks, toppings, or meal ingredients.

Popular options include: 

• Almonds: A small handful of almonds — about 1 ounce or 28 grams — provides around 7.3 mg of vitamin E, which is nearly 50% of the RDI for adults.

• Sunflower seeds: One ounce (28 grams) of sunflower seeds contains about 7.4 mg of vitamin E, making them a great option for increasing your intake.

• Hazelnuts: Hazelnuts are another excellent source of vitamin E, offering about 4.3 mg per ounce.

Cooking oils 

Vegetable oils are a convenient way to maintain your vitamin E intake and can be easily included in your meals when you’re cooking. Some good options include:

• Sunflower oil: Sunflower oil is a good source of vitamin E, containing about 5.6 mg per tablespoon. Its mild flavor makes it a versatile choice for salad dressings, sautéing, and baking.

• Olive oil: Olive oil provides about 1.9 mg of vitamin E per tablespoon and is packed with antioxidants and healthy monounsaturated fats that support your health. It’s perfect for drizzling over salads and vegetables or using in low-heat cooking.

• Wheat germ oil: While less commonly used, wheat germ oil is one of the richest sources of vitamin E, containing about 20 mg per tablespoon. It can be used in dressings, smoothies, or as a dietary vitamin E supplement.

Leafy green vegetables

Dark leafy green vegetables are another excellent source of vitamin E and also provide a wide variety of other vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Here are a few options you can try:

• Spinach: Spinach is one of the most versatile and nutrient-dense leafy greens, providing about 1.9 mg of vitamin E per half-cup of cooked greens. Spinach can be enjoyed in salads, smoothies, omelets, or sautéed as a side dish.

• Swiss chard: Swiss chard is less common but equally nutritious, offering around 1.8 mg of vitamin E per half-cup of cooked greens. It has a slightly bitter flavor, making it a great addition to soups, stews, or as a sautéed vegetable side.

• Kale: While known primarily for its high vitamin K content, kale also provides a good amount of vitamin E. Half a cup of cooked kale contains about 0.9 mg of vitamin E and can be used in salads, smoothies, or baked into crispy kale chips.

Fruits 

While not as concentrated in vitamin E as nuts or oils, some fruits are still a great source of this nutrient. These include:

• Avocado: Avocado is one of the most vitamin E-rich fruits, providing about 2.7 mg per medium-sized fruit. It’s also a versatile ingredient and can be used in salads, sandwiches, smoothies, or as a healthy spread on toast.

• Kiwi: Kiwi fruit is often praised for its vitamin C content, and also provides about 1.1 mg of vitamin E per fruit. It can be a delicious addition to fruit salads and smoothies or enjoyed on its own as a snack.

• Mango: Mangoes are another fruit with a substantial amount of vitamin E, offering about 1.5 mg per fruit. They can be enjoyed fresh, blended into smoothies, or as a sweet topping for yogurt, oatmeal, or summer salads.

Fish and seafood

Certain fish and seafood are good sources of natural vitamin E, while also providing other essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. These include: 

• Trout: Trout is a particularly good source of vitamin E, offering about 2.4 mg per 3-ounce serving. It’s a versatile fish that can be grilled, baked, or pan-seared, making it an easy addition to your diet.

• Salmon: Widely known for its heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, salmon also provides about 2 mg of vitamin E per 3-ounce serving. Salmon can be prepared in various ways and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

• Shrimp: Shrimp provides about 1.2 mg of vitamin E per 3-ounce serving. It’s a quick-cooking seafood option that’s perfect for salads, pasta dishes, or as a main course.

How to Incorporate More Vitamin E-Rich Foods in Your Diet 

Plan your meals 

The first step in increasing your nutrient intake is to plan your meals around products that are high-dose vitamin E foods.

This can include identifying ingredients rich in vitamin E and preparing meals that could include them.

For example, consider adding nuts or seeds to your breakfast, using vegetable oils when cooking, or incorporating leafy greens into your lunch and dinner.

Planning your meals around nutrient-rich ingredients also helps you avoid reaching for processed foods or snacks out of boredom or not knowing what to cook.

Meal ideas

If you’re unsure of where to start with adding vitamin E-rich foods to your diet, here are some meal ideas to help:

• Breakfast: Start your day with a smoothie that includes a handful of spinach — it has a fairly neutral flavor, so you won’t have to worry about altering the taste too much. You can also toss a handful of sunflower seeds or almonds into your oatmeal or yogurt. Alternatively, enjoy a slice of sourdough toast topped with avocado and a poached egg.

• Lunch: Prepare a salad with mixed greens — like spinach and Swiss chard — topped with sliced avocado, toasted hazelnuts, and a dressing made from olive or sunflower oil. You can also add pan-fried shrimp or trout for an added protein and vitamin E boost.

• Dinner: Opt for a grilled salmon filet served with a side of steamed Swiss chard or sautéed spinach. For an added nutrient boost, drizzle the vegetables with a little extra virgin olive or avocado oil.

These meal ideas are not only rich in Vitamin E but also provide a range of other nutrients, making them a healthy choice for any diet.

Snacking and cooking tips 

Snacking on vitamin E-rich foods is another great way to increase your nutrient intake. Popular snacks to keep on hand could include:

• Almonds

• Sunflower seeds

• Hazelnuts 

• Dried fruits, such as apricots 

Having access to these snacks can help you manage your vitamin E intake throughout the day, which can help prevent deficiencies. 

Balancing your intake 

While it’s important to ensure you’re getting enough vitamin E, balancing your intake is essential. 

Overconsuming vitamin E can lead to unpleasant effects, such as muscle weakness, fatigue, and even spontaneous bleeding.

You can typically prevent this by avoiding becoming over-reliant on vitamin E-rich foods and following a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrients.

If you’re unsure about how to manage your vitamin E intake, consult your doctor for professional medical advice. 

Consider potential allergies 

When incorporating vitamin E-rich foods into your diet, it’s essential to be mindful of potential allergies — especially to nuts, seeds, and shellfish.

If you, or someone in your household, has a nut allergy, it’s best to consider alternative sources of vitamin E. This could include:

• Leafy green vegetables

• Fortified foods 

• Vegetable oils 

In some cases, you may also benefit from taking vitamin E supplements. However, discuss the use of synthetic vitamin E supplements with your doctor first to ensure they’re safe for you.

Where Can You Learn More About Managing Your Vitamin Intake?

If you’re looking for more information on healthy lifestyle habits to improve your overall well-being, LifeMD has got you covered.

A team of medical professionals can help you create healthy habits — all from the comfort of your home. 

Make an appointment with LifeMD to take control of your health today.

LifeMD makes it easy to stay on top of your health because talking to a doctor, filling your prescriptions, getting your labs done—and more—are all easy and cost-effective. Come discover a healthcare solution built around you and your life.

Connect with a doctor now!

Join Now

Text

Call