Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from viruses and bacteria and prevents diseases of the cardiovascular system. It is known as the vitamin of life and youth, thanks to its action against free radicals, molecules that accelerate aging.
For all this and more, it is essential to consume vitamin E in our day-to-day. Fortunately, we can find it in a wide variety of foods that are easy to incorporate into any diet. Do you want to know which foods are rich in vitamin E?
Vitamin E function
Vitamin E is fat-soluble, that is, it dissolves in fat. As such, this compound is necessary for the proper interaction between cells during their normal metabolic processes. On the other hand, vitamin E strengthens and stimulates the body’s defenses so that they can more easily fight diseases.
In addition, another of its main functions is to act as an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from oxidative stress, a process that not only accelerates aging but also plays a role in the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and diabetes, among others.
A deficiency of vitamin E, which protects the nervous system, can cause neuronal and motor damage, as well as accelerate the development of diseases such as dementia or Parkinson’s. For this reason, vitamin E supplements, or a diet richer in this compound, are often prescribed to elderly patients.
Vitamin E Benefits
Among the benefits of vitamin E, one can mention the improvement of muscle strength, prevention of hair loss, as well as its strengthening. On the other hand, it helps repair damaged skin and helps prevent blood clots, since it has the effect of making the blood more liquid.
On the other hand, one of the most famous properties of vitamin E is its ability to improve the appearance of the skin. However, although it participates in the production of collagen and protects cells from aging, there are conflicting studies on whether taking more vitamin E significantly delays the appearance of wrinkles or improves healing.
In any case, there are studies that have found benefits in the use of vitamin E, not only to keep us young but also to combat skin diseases, and burns and improve wound healing.
Thus, there are many creams, lotions, and oils for the skin that contain vitamin E as one of its main components. However, beyond these treatments, the most natural way to take advantage of all the properties of vitamin E for the skin is through food. If you want to learn more about vitamin E foods for the skin and how to take advantage of them.
The vitamin E contained in food is natural, powerful and effective. A diet rich in vitamin E will guarantee that we are consuming the daily dose we need of this compound, enough for the body to absorb all its benefits. To make sure you have beautiful skin and healthy hair, write down all the foods below!
Foods with vitamin E
Wondering what foods vitamin E is found in? Well, since it is liposoluble, we can find vitamin E in most foods that contain fat, especially unsaturated. These healthy fats help us maintain a good cellular balance. In this way, some oils, vegetables, and fruits are rich sources of this vitamin.
In total, the recommended daily dose of vitamin E that should be consumed is 15 mg in adults and adolescents. In children, the dose is lowered significantly. In babies up to 6 months, the recommended amount is 4 mg. Until the first year of age, this figure rises to 5 mg. For children 1 to 3 years of age, 6 mg will suffice, and for children 9 to 13 years of age, 11 mg is the recommended dose. With this information, you can know how much of these foods you can incorporate into your diet to get enough vitamin E.
Vegetable oils
One of the main food sources of this component is vegetable oils. Among these, wheat germ oil and sunflower oil are the foods with the most vitamin E. Here we list all the oils and their vitamin E content per 100 grams:
- Wheat germ oil (149 mg)
- Sunflower oil (41.1mg)
- Olive oil (14.3mg)
- Soybean oil (8.1mg)
- Corn oil (14.3mg)
Likewise, products derived from these oils, such as margarine or mayonnaise, provide a great contribution to this vitamin. Do not forget, however, to maintain a moderate consumption of these foods.
Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are also among the foods that contain vitamin E. In addition, they are ingredients that provide a large number of nutrients and other vitamins necessary for our body, so they must be present in our daily diet. They stand out among them:
- Broccoli (0.8mg)
- Spinach (2mg)
- Swiss chard (1.9mg)
- Asparagus (1.1mg)
Some recipes like this one for broccoli with béchamel or this one for spinach burgers are excellent for taking advantage of the properties of these wonderful vegetables.
Nuts
Nuts are one of the most popular sources of vitamin E. This type of food is very nutritious and can help us meet the 15 mg daily amount of vitamin E that is recommended to be consumed daily . The highest concentration of this nutrient can be found in almonds and hazelnuts, but other nuts also have a considerable amount of it:
- Almonds (26.2mg)
- Hazelnuts (15mg)
- Pine nuts (9.3mg)
- Peanuts (8.3mg)
- Pistachio (2.3mg)
- Walnuts (0.7mg)
Nuts are known for their broad nutrient content. If you want to know more about the benefits of nuts, do not hesitate to visit our article on the healthiest nuts. Take advantage of all its properties!
Foods of animal origin
In general, meat is not a very rich source of vitamin E, but in some foods, we can find it in small amounts that we can take advantage of for health. For example, 100 grams of egg yolk contain 2.6 mg of vitamin E. Some meats, such as fish and chicken liver, also have certain amounts of the compound.
The egg yolk is also rich in vitamin A, a component that needs vitamin E for the body to absorb it properly. It is also an excellent source of protein.
Fruits rich in vitamin E
Although, in general, fruits do not have high percentages of vitamin E, there are some pulpy fruits that do contain appreciable amounts. Do not hesitate to add them to your diet and benefit from their multiple nutrients and antioxidants, ideal for being healthy and improving the appearance of the skin. These are some of them:
- Avocado (2.1mg)
- Kiwi (1.5mg)
- Mango (1.8mg)
- Grape (0.2mg)
- Plums (0.3mg)
- Coconut (0.2mg)
The avocado shines as the fruit with the highest vitamin E content, as it is an excellent source of unsaturated fats. Here we bring you some recipes with avocado, perfect to take advantage of all its benefits and also lose weight in the process.
Combining some of these fruits and vitamin E capsules to make hair masks is a common way to take advantage of vitamin E foods for hair. If you want to know more tricks about it, visit our article How to use vitamin E in hair.
