Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant. If consumed regularly, it shields cells and organs from the adverse effects of free radicals and oxidative stress. It is a popular requirement for preventing the risks of premature aging. People who are deficient in vitamin E have poor eyesight, impaired muscle, and infections. Did you know that an average adult needs 15 mg of vitamin E? Yes, that’s what separates you from one who is deficient of this super vitamin.
What are some Food Sources of Vitamin E?
Parsley
Adding parsley to your meals adds to the flavor. And of course, enriches you with vitamin E. Double delight! A handful of parsley gives up to 3.3mg of vitamin E. To enjoy the health benefits of parsley, simply add it to your salad, soup, and stew. What are these health benefits anyway? Parsley treats mouth ulcers, prevents the risks of stomach ulcers, enhances the skin, combats chest burn, and promotes digestion.
Shrimp
Hello seafood lovers! Did you know that three ounces of shrimp can provide 1.9 mg of vitamin E? How do you love your shrimps? Ever tried combining shrimps with sautéed or steamed vegetables? So how interested are you in improving your cardiovascular health, getting some omega-3s, preventing heart diseases, enhancing your eyesight, and strengthening your hair follicles? Eat shrimps to achieve these and more.
Turnip Greens
Do you want a food that is low in calories and rich in vitamin E? Then opt for turnip greens. Half a cup of raw turnip greens contains 12% of your daily vitamin E requirement. Turnip greens absorb excess cholesterol, treat indigestion, treat skin infections, and promote circulation.
Trout
Trout is delicious and bursting with essential nutrients, vitamin E being one of them. Trout keeps your heart healthy, prevents age-related brain diseases, manages cholesterol levels, and maintains eyesight.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts have got a good amount of vitamin E, providing about 20% of your daily need of vitamin E. Hazelnuts prevent memory loss, strengthen bones, treat hair and scalp problems, and protect the skin against UV rays.
Olives
Olive oil is such a splendid source of vitamin E. A handful of olives or one tablespoon of olive oil is enough to supply your daily dose of vitamin E. You can incorporate into your diet in many ways. They have loads of health benefits such as preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, promoting psychological health, improving eye health, and boosting energy levels. They treat inflammation too.
Almonds
An ounce of almonds abundantly supplies 7mg of vitamin E. You can have almond milk, or just incorporate crushed almonds in various recipes for your health’s sake. And for your taste buds too, of course. Whichever way, you get enriched with vitamin E. Almonds improve cardiovascular health, keep the body energized, promote circulation, and prevent eye diseases.
Papaya
When you eat just a few chunks of papaya, you get about 17% of your vitamin E requirement. Mention smoothies or fruit salad, and papaya comes to mind readily. So does vitamin E.
Papayas health benefits are the
prevention of stomach disorders, improvement of skin condition, treats acne, prevents skin infection, and promotes digestion.
Kiwifruit
A cup of this juicy and tasty fruit contains 2.6mg of vitamin E. It also provides a variety of other essential nutrients. You may just want to add to enjoy better blood circulation, reduced inflammation, a batter skin, controlled insulin sensitivity, and reduced risk of anemia.
Red Sweet Pepper
A medium-sized red sweet pepper provides 1.9mg of vitamin E. Sauté or bake some of it, and eat with chicken or fish fillet. Oh, the goodness of life! Good food is irreplaceable. Remember that overcooking the peppers ruins the nutrients.
Red sweet peppers boost immunity, increase metabolic rate, speed up recovery process from injuries, combat premature aging, and rejuvenate skin cells.
Sesame Seeds
This is particularly interesting it is super loaded with vitamin E. What’s more? It’s also low in calories. These seeds are quite versatile and contain other nutrients such as potassium, zinc, magnesium, and manganese. Sesame seeds promote brain health, improve heart rate, control high cholesterol levels, and prevent eye diseases such as cataracts.
Swiss Chard
Here’s another low-calorie food. Every time you add Swiss chard to your salad bowl, it provides 17% of vitamin E, which is beneficial to your health. What does Swiss chard do? It treats indigestion, prevents stomach problems, clears the skin, and improves eyesight.
Avocado
Consuming a medium-sized avocado on a daily basis is beneficial because it contains vitamin E and even more nutrients. A serving of avocado can provide about 4.2mg of vitamin E. Whether eaten raw or cooked, avocado remains greatly nutritious. What does avocado do? It helps you maintain a healthy heart, it protects the brain, facilitates neurological health, and prevents memory deterioration.
Mango
Who else loves sweet and juicy mangoes? They’re not only tasty, they provide vitamin E too. You may add mangoes to your smoothies, desserts, or just enjoy it fleshy, eating it whole. Eating mangoes boost energy levels, treats stomach issues, prevents anemia, keeps the skin healthy, and promotes circulation. That’s not all, as it boosts bone health, slows the aging process, improves eye health, maintains heart health, and supports the digestive system.
Kale
A cup of boiled kale is loaded with vitamin E. Kale is a low-calorie vegetable that is ideal for obese people. Kale promotes digestion, improves weak eyesight, treats anemia, support brain health, and keeps you full for long hours. It also detoxifies the body, enhances the skin, helps with blood clotting, gives anti-oxidant support, reduces cholesterol, and manages diabetes
Vitamin E Facts!
- Vitamin E was discovered in 1922 by Dr. Herbert Evans and Katherine Bishop in their research on reproduction in rats.
- Research continued and in 1936, and Dr. Evans isolated alpha-tocopherol, and in 1937, he isolated beta tocopherol and gamma tocopherol
- In 1945, vitamin E was proposed as an antioxidant.
- The body needs at least 200 IUs of vitamin E each day.
- Vitamin E consists of eight distinct antioxidant compounds; four are tocopherols and the other four tocopherols have alpha, beta, delta and gamma in each group — alpha-tocopherols is the compound that is most active in the body.
- As an antioxidant, vitamin E intercepts and neutralizes free radicals in the body.
- The human body can store vitamin E in its fatty tissue.
- The amount of vitamin E one needs depends on their weight, age and health challenges they may have.
What about Vitamin E Deficiency?
Poor Balance
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant; its deficiency can cause oxidation stress on cells or tissues. Now, this is harmful to the body. Vitamin E deficiency also leads to poor reflexes, central nervous system breakdown, nerve degeneration of the hands and feet, impaired coordination, and loss of balance.
Hair Loss
Vitamin E is necessary for good blood circulation. Good circulation feeds the scalp and hair follicles, keeping them healthy. Its deficiency can cause hair loss.
Anemia
Anemia is a blood disorder which occurs as a result of a low amount of red blood cells present in the blood. Red blood cells (RBCs) are required for hemoglobin to transport oxygen to parts of the body. Oxygen is essential for cellular respiration. Vitamin E deficiency can cause birth defects, hemolytic anemia, and degradation of the red blood cells.
Cancer
Antioxidants reduce side effects or improve the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy. A deficiency in vitamin E can increase the incidence of cancer, especially breast and oral cancers.