What is Vitamin E?
Vitamin E boosts the immune system by helping the body fight off viruses and infections from bacteria. In addition, Vitamin E helps the body utilize Vitamin K, form red blood cells, widen blood vessels, and prevents blood clots.
Deficiency in vitamin E is rare among otherwise healthy people and is almost always linked to diseases in which fat is not properly digested or absorbed. This is because Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and needs some fat for the body to absorb it. Vitamin E deficiency may occur in tandem with conditions like Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and certain rare genetic conditions.
How Much Vitamin E Do I Need?
The daily recommended amount of Vitamin E depends on your age.
| Life Stage | Recommended Amount | |
| Birth to 6 months | 4 mg | 6 IU |
| Infants 7–12 months | 5 mg | 7.5 IU |
| Children 1–3 years | 6 mg | 9 IU |
| Children 4–8 years | 7 mg | 10.4 IU |
| Children 9–13 years | 11 mg | 16.4 IU |
| Teens 14–18 years | 15 mg | 22.4 IU |
| Adults | 15 mg | 22.4 IU |
| Pregnant women | 15 mg | 22.4 IU |
| Breastfeeding women | 15 mg | 28.4 IU |
What Foods Have Vitamin E
Vitamin E is found naturally in nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables and is added to some fortified foods.
Vegetable Oils
| Food | Milligrams (mg) per serving | Percent DV |
| Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon | 20.3 | 100% |
| Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon | 5.6 | 28% |
| Safflower oil, 1 tablespoon | 4.6 | 25% |
| Corn oil, 1 tablespoon | 1.9 | 10% |
| Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon | 1.1 | 6% |
Nuts and Seeds
| Food | Milligrams (mg) per serving | Percent DV |
| Sunflower seeds, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 7.4 | 37% |
| Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 6.8 | 34% |
| Hazelnuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 4.3 | 22% |
| Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons | 2.9 | 15% |
| Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 2.2 | 11% |
Green Vegetables
| Food | Milligrams (mg) per serving | Percent DV |
| Spinach, boiled, ½ cup | 1.9 | 10% |
| Broccoli, chopped, boiled, ½ cup | 1.2 | 6% |
| Spinach, raw, 1 cup | 0.6 | 3% |
Fruits
| Food | Milligrams (mg) per serving | Percent DV |
| Kiwifruit, 1 medium | 1.1 | 6% |
| Mango, sliced, ½ cup | 0.7 | 4% |
Fortified Foods
Certain foods like breakfast cereals, fruit juice, and margarine may be fortified with Vitamin E. The amount of Vitamin E depends on the product.
Benefits of Vitamin E
Recipes With Vitamin E
Who doesn’t love a good recipe? The following trail mix recipe is tried and true. It can be prepared in advance and stored for several weeks (even months!), so keep a bag of this trail mix handy for a quick go-to snack that’s both healthy and satisfying.
Power-Packed Trail Mix
- 1 ounce sunflower seeds
- 1 ounce almonds
- 1 ounce hazelnuts
- 1 ounce peanuts
- 1/4 cup dried mango, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried dates, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
Optional Add-Ins
- cranberries
- raisins
- your favorite nuts
Mix and enjoy!
