The 14 Best Foods Highest In Vitamin E

Quick Health Scoop

• Vitamin E is an essential nutrient and fat-soluble vitamin your body needs to stay healthy^.†
• It’s primarily known for key health benefits including its powerful antioxidant properties and its support of a healthy immune system.^†
• Most adults need a daily intake of 15 mg of Vitamin E every day, which are available from food sources and from Vitamin E supplementation.
• Foods highest in Vitamin E include plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, vegetables, vegetable oils, and other plant-based oils.

As an essential nutrient, Vitamin E ranks right up there with the best of them—Vitamin A, all the B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin K—all needed to maintain good health. This fat soluble vitamin comes in multiple forms, but the body primarily uses the Vitamin E form called alpha-tocopherol.

Essential for many cells (including heart muscle cells), Vitamin E delivers powerful antioxidant properties and helps support a healthy immune system. That’s why you need to ensure your day includes plenty of Vitamin E foods in your diet, and if not, consider taking a Vitamin E supplement.^† But what are foods highest in Vitamin E?

Read on to learn more about the health benefits of this key vitamin as well as what foods are high in Vitamin E.

Benefits Of Vitamin E

In order for your body to function properly, your body requires adequate Vitamin E levels.

A diet high in Vitamin E yields key health benefits, including the following. [2,3,4]

Supports a healthy immune system

Vitamin E supports the body's natural immune defenses. This is especially important for older adults (ages 65+), as Vitamin E also supports a healthy immune system as the body ages.†

Delivers powerful antioxidant properties

As an antioxidant, Vitamin E neutralizes free radicals in the body and helps guard against oxidative stress. [1] Over time,  damage to cells from free radicals can lead to more serious, chronic health issues.†

Plays a vital role many cells

The body requires this essential nutrient for the healthy functioning of many cells, including heart muscle cells.^†

Recommended Intake for Vitamin E

How much Vitamin E do you need every day? Dosages vary depending on age, and experts suggesting the following recommended dietary allowance (RDA).[2]

The best way to obtain vitamins and minerals is through food sources, so make sure you eat a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods for a balanced diet. Besides boosting your Vitamin E intake with food, you can also get more Vitamin E with dietary supplements such as Vitamin E capsules or softgels. Vitamin E deficiency is rare because this nutrient is widely available in many foods, however, approximately 84% of the U.S. population has inadequate daily intake of Vitamin E in their diet. [5]

Foods High In Vitamin E

The foods highest in Vitamin E include plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, vegetables, vegetable oils and other plant-based oils. [1] The following are Vitamin E rich foods* that you should consider adding to your diet. [6]

While the above foods are highest in Vitamin E, there are lots of other foods with Vitamin E as well, including some seafood (Atlantic herring, Atlantic salmon, blue crab, canned sardines, rainbow trout, canned white tuna) and a variety of fruits and vegetables (avocado, broccoli, canned tomato products, butternut squash, kiwifruit, mango, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, sweet red pepper, Swiss chard, turnip greens).

The best way to determine which nutrients (and what percentage of the daily value they deliver) is to read the nutrition facts on the package’s food label.

Bottom Line

As an essential nutrient and fat-soluble vitamin your body needs to stay healthy, Vitamin E is known for delivering powerful antioxidant properties and supporting a healthy immune system.

Most adults need a daily intake of 15 mg of Vitamin E, which is available from food sources and from Vitamin E supplements. What foods are high in Vitamin E?  Plant-based options such as nuts, seeds, vegetables, and plant-based oils are all foods containing the most Vitamin E—great news for those who follow a vegan lifestyle. But additional food sources of Vitamin E include some seafood (Atlantic salmon, blue crab, rainbow trout) and plenty of fruits and vegetables (avocado, broccoli, butternut squash, mango, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, sweet red pepper, turnip greens).†

Continue to check back on the Nature Made blog for the latest science-backed articles to help you take ownership of your health.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References 

1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Vitamin E.” 2022. Accessed on: September 21, 2022. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-e/
2. National Institutes of Health. “Fact Sheet for Consumers: Vitamin E.” March 22, 2021. Accessed on: September 20, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-Consumer/#h2
3. Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute. “Vitamin E.” October 2015. Accessed on: September 21, 2022. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-E#food-sources
4. Mount Sinai. “Vitamin E.” 2022. Accessed on: September 22, 2022. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/nutrition/vitamin-e
5. Reider CA, Chung RY, Devarshi PP, Grant RW, Hazels Mitmesser S. Inadequacy of Immune Health Nutrients: Intakes in US Adults, the 2005-2016 NHANES. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1735. Published 2020 Jun 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7352522/
6. S. Department of Agriculture. “Food Data Central.” 2022. Accessed on: September 22, 2022. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov