One of the fat-soluble Vitamins, Vitamin E is readily available in many food sources and deficiency in the diet is rare.

Common Sources

Vitamin E is readily available in the following foods

- Cooking Oils - sunflower oil, olive oil

- Cereals

- Meat, chicken, seafood (shrimp and trout)

- Fresh Vegetables including spinach (and dark green vegetables), bell peppers, avocado, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomato, shalgam.

- Fruits including mango, kiwi, 

- Nuts including peanuts, almonds, hazelnut, sunflower seeds

So, as we can see, unlike Vitamin D which is available only in limited food items, Vitamin E is available in plenty from a variety of food sources.

Function

Vitamin E is important for some critical functions in the human body. 

  1. Antioxidant- It removes free radicals and prevents premature aging.
  2. Skin and hair health- it is vital for the maintenance of healthy skin and hair
  3. Prevention of sunstroke
  4. Maintain immunity
  5. Inhibits blood clotting
  6. Prevent Alzheimer's disease and Parkinsonism
  7.  Useful in certain Thalassemias
  8. Local application to contain reaction of chemotherapy agents that extravasate or leak into the skin
  9. Helps prevent pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis.
  10. Helps maintain a good vision

Some Facts

As with most Vitamins, dietary sources offer better protection than supplements.

Since it is so readily available in a wide range of food items deficiency is rare and usually caused due to some inherent digestive problem or malabsorption.

Excess of more than 1000 mg a day causes side effects including stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, headache, blurring of vision, etc.