Vitamin E Foods Do a Body Good

You might not realize how important vitamin E is to your health. It certainly doesn’t get as much attention as other vitamins, like vitamins A, C, and D. It’s vital to get enough vitamin E too, though, because it protects your body in many ways. Vitamin E foods aren’t as plentiful as those that have other important nutrients, but getting them into your diet doesn’t have to be hard. The daily recommendations for vitamin E aren’t huge, so adding foods rich in the nutrient is an easy way to hit the goal. If you worry that you still fall short, talk to your doctor about a supplement to fill the gap.

Daily intake recommendations

The amount of vitamin E you need each day varies by age. Babies ages six months and younger need 4 mg each day, babies between seven and 12 months should get 5 mg each day, and children ages one to three need 6 mg per day. Between the ages of four and eight, children need 7 mg of vitamin E each day and kids between the ages of nine and 13 should get 11 mg per day. People over the age 13, both men and women, need 15 mg of vitamin E each day. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding need additional vitamin E, up to 19 mg per day, to support a healthy baby.

Benefits

There are many reasons why eating vitamin E foods is a good idea. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which means that it helps your body fight free radical damage and helps prevent several health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Vitamin E foods can also boost your immune system and maintain the health of your skin. Some researchers also say that an adequate vitamin E intake also plays a role in the decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease when you get older.

Food sources

You’ll probably notice that the food sources of vitamin E are fairly limited when compared to other vitamins. However, some of the vitamin E foods are high enough in the nutrient that you won’t have to eat too much to reach the daily intake recommendations. For example, one tablespoon of wheat germ oil contains 100 percent of your daily vitamin E needs. Cottonseed, corn, and safflower oil also contain vitamin E. Snack on almonds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, and peanuts, all of which contribute to your daily vitamin E intake as well. Broccoli, kiwi, mango, and spinach are other options that contain vitamin E, but are also high in other important vitamins and minerals.

Deficiencies

The good news is that a vitamin E deficiency is a fairly rare problem. However, if it does occur, you face some health problems that you probably don’t want to deal with, including a lowered immune response and skin problems. People with digestive problems, such as Crohn’s disease or other malabsorption conditions may be low in vitamin E.