Unlike any other Vitamin, E is a vital nutrient to maintain good health. Found in a variety of foods and supplements, the best way you can consume vitamin E is through a healthy diet. Deficiency of this vitamin is rare, but overdosing the use of vitamin E supplements can be a concern. It is an antioxidant with properties that protects the body tissues from damage caused by harmful substances such as free radicals. These radicals can harm tissues, organs, and cells. Vitamin E is known to play some role in certain conditions related to aging.

To build a strong immune system against viruses and bacteria, your body needs vitamin E. This nutrient also helps in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K. Moreover, vitamin E helps in widening blood vessels and avoids blood clotting. A very important vitamin, it carries out many functions and can also prevent heart disease, cancer, liver diseases.

Vitamin E is a family of fat-soluble compounds and helps in maintaining healthy skin and eyes, strengthen the body’s natural defense against any illness and infection. Some of the good dietary sources include nuts, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and even vegetable oils such as sunflower, wheat germ, corn and soybean oils. Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli also contain vitamin E and are very helpful to maintain a healthy diet.

Benefits of vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient with antioxidant properties. The antioxidants which help in preventing your body from any damage caused by radicals can save you from many chronic diseases. With a healthy consumption of vitamin E, the antioxidant properties have a very positive impact on your body. It is important to take adequate intake of Vitamin E to improve the functioning of the body and other metabolic processes. One of the major benefits of vitamin E is useful for the skin, hair, and scars.

1. Improves hair, skin, and scars

Whether you take oral applications through some supplements or if applied to skin or hair, vitamin E has cosmetic benefits and can help in healing burns and diminish scars, except those caused by acne It may also help to soften skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

2. Fights against chronic illness

As an antioxidant, vitamin E is considered to fight against all damages and protect cells from free radicals. Chronic diseases associated with cancer, asthma or dementia can be kept away if your vitamin E levels are maintained. So, shout out to vitamin E for being your own personal bodyguard against illness.

3. Improves your immune system

If you want to improve your immune system and want to make sure that you are on the right track, vitamin E helps to improve the functioning of it. It strengthens the metabolism in order to keep you away from infections and even mild cold and flu.

4. Helps your eyesight

Yes, you read that right. Vitamin E also helps in improving your eye health. It is an antioxidant that also frees radicals linked to eye damage and if you maintain a good level of vitamin E in your body, you may avoid chances of getting age-related cataracts. So for now, maybe you continue to eat your peanut butter.

5. Improves functioning of blood vessels

This little vitamin also plays a significant role in helping to dilate blood vessels. It improves blood flow and makes it more smooth reducing blood pressure. Consuming vitamin E naturally or even supplements can help in increasing vasodilation which is very useful in the overall functioning of blood vessels in the body.

Vitamin E Deficiency

Deficiencies of Vitamin E are very rare in humans, but if people who have certain digestive problems or are babies that are born with very low birth weights are most likely to have a vitamin E deficiency. Symptoms of the deficiency include numbness or tingling in the feet, toes, and hands; conditions affecting the retina of the eye, inability to control bodily movements and weakened immune system.

Vitamin E Sources of Food

There is plenty of food that contains vitamin E, which means you can get enough doses of the vitamin naturally through a balanced diet. As stated previously, nuts, seeds, vegetables, a few fruits, and some oils tend to contain the most vitamin E per serving. Here’s a list that can help you categorize the type of food you’d like to consume:

• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Avocados
• Spinach
• Shrimp
• Hazelnuts
• Asparagus
• Broccoli

Some meals and snack ideas rich in vitamin E:

• Have avocado instead of mayo in sandwiches and salads
• Eat a toast with peanut butter or almond butter
• If you like apple or pear slices, dip it with almond butter
• Have a small portion of almonds or sunflower seeds during the day
• Try adding wheat germ to smoothies, hot cereal, and desserts such as muffins and pancakes.
• Garnish cereals and salads with almonds or sunflower seeds
• Add cooked spinach to foods like soups, lasagnas, and frittatas
• Garnish spinach salad with peanuts or almonds, and top it up with avocado or tuna and serve with a salad dressing made with sunflower oil

Further reading

• Vitamin A – Introduction, benefits, deficiency, sources
• Vitamin C – Introduction, benefits, deficiency, sources
• Types of Vitamin B, their deficiencies and sources
• Vitamin D – Introduction, benefits, deficiency, sources

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