Best food groups: Nuts, seeds, vegetables
Also consider: Fortified cereals, potato chips, mixed nuts, tomato paste and pasta sauce
What is vitamin E and why is it so important? Vitamin E is like a moat to a castle: Its job is to put up a protective barrier to safeguard against foreign invaders. In the body's case, that invader is a rogue group called free radicals. No . . . not a hippie group from the '60s; rather, toxic substances in the body that are hell-bent on maiming and destroying every cell of your body. Free radical damage paves the way to aging, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and the list goes on. Vitamin E puts a serious hurt on free radicals by functioning as an antioxidant. It is also essential for maintaining immune system, heart, and eye health. Research has shown that vitamin E might lower the incidence of cataracts and help prevent heart disease, to boot!
Did you know? There are actually eight chemical forms of vitamin E, which fall into two different groups. The groups are called tocotrienols and tocopherols. Within these groups are four different forms of the vitamin. The only form of vitamin E that is biologically active in the human body is alpha-tocopherol.
How much is enough?
The DV for vitamin E is 30 IU, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
The tolerable UL of vitamin E has been set at 1,500 IU per day. Toxicity symptoms have been observed with vitamin E supplementation of 3,000 IU per day for three months. The most common symptom of vitamin E toxicity is hemorrhage, but toxicity can also manifest as nausea, diarrhea, muscle weakness, and overall fatigue.
Supplements: Vitamin E supplements come in form of alpha-tocopherol, which makes sense since this form is the most biologically active. A large randomized placebo controlled study revealed that there may be increased risk of prostate cancer when vitamin E supplementation of 400 IU per day was used. Other research has shown mixed results for supplementing with vitamin E.
1. Almonds
Almonds are an excellent source of magnesium, manganese (30 percent of the DV per serving), protein, and vitamin E (35 percent of the DV per serving), plus a good source of copper, fiber, phosphorus, and vitamin B2. Ounce for ounce, almonds are the tree nut highest in calcium, fiber, niacin, protein, riboflavin, and vitamin E. Worried about controlling your blood glucose level? A small study showed adding one to two handfuls of almonds to a high-carbohydrate meal helped control blood glucose better. Almond consumption is also associated with reducing LDL cholesterol and aiding weight management.
There are over thirty types of almonds; the Nonpareil is the most popular in the United States.
2. Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are very nutritious and an excellent source of copper, magnesium, selenium, and vitamins B1 and E. They are also a good source of folate, phosphorus, and vitamin B6. Sunflower seeds rank number three in plant phytosterols , a compound that can help reduce cholesterol levels.
3. Spinach
Besides containing a hefty amount of vitamin E, spinach is also known to produce nitric oxide, which helps improve blood pressure. A randomized, controlled crossover trial of a group of healthy men and women looked at the effects of eating spinach on a variety and health indicators. Compared to the control group, those who ate spinach experienced several health benefits, including lower blood pressure.
4. Sunflower Oil
Besides being rich in vitamin E, the mid-oleic (standard) and high-oleic varieties of this oil are rich in monounsaturated fats, which help keep cholesterol in check. The study comparing olive oil and mid-oleic sunflower oil showed that individuals experienced significantly lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol than those on the sunflower oil diet.
High-oleic (also called high-stearic) sunflower oil has a higher smoke point, lending this oil to more applications for replacing solid fats in baking, frying, and so on.
5. Safflower oil
Safflowers were originally grown because the flowers were used to make red and yellow dyes for clothing and food preparation. Now, safflowers are primarily grown for oil production. With its composition of 8 percent saturated fat, 15 percent polyunsaturated fat, and 77 percent monounsaturated fats and its being a good source of vitamin E, safflower oil makes a terrific cooking oil. In addition, safflower oil has shown promise in the battle of the bulge. In a study of obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, those who supplemented their diet with safflower oil for 32 weeks had reduced fat around the midsection, increased muscle growth, lowered fasting blood sugar, and increase in a hormone called adipo-nectin, whose job is to improve insulin sensitivity.
Did you know?
A standard portion of 1 ounce of potato chips contains 3.23 IU of vitamin E, or more than 10 percent of its DV! No, potatoes aren't really that great of a source of vitamin E—but the oils that the chips are cooked in are. So crunch in moderation!
6. Turnip Greens
Don't discard your turnip tops—they are an excellent source of folate, manganese, and vitamins A and C. In addition, they are a good source of copper, fiber, and vitamins B6 and E. The Brassica (cruciferous) vegetable family, as a rule, contains many nutrients that help safeguard your health, such as glucosinolates and phenolics. Turnip greens rank among the top for these compounds.
7. Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts (also known as filberts) are an excellent source of copper and manganese. In addition, they are a good source of vitamin E, fiber, and magnesium. Hazelnuts can help reduce cholesterol. A recent study showed that fifteen men with high cholesterol who ate about thirty hazelnuts (40 g) per day experienced a decrease in components of LDL cholesterol and an increase in HDL.
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24