Vitamin E is found in a large variety of different food sources but processing and cooking can destroy a large percentage of it. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient, which means it needs to be in the presence of fat in order to be properly absorbed into the body during digestion. The daily amount of Vitamin E needed to be consumed in food is 30 IUs, which is fairly easy to obtain. Vitamin E supplements are unnecessary as few people are at risk of a deficiency unless they have extremely poor diets not usually found in the western world.
The most healthy food sources of Vitamin E are raw vegetables such as spinach, tomatoes, broccoli and avocado. Cooking can destroy a lot of the nutrient, which is why raw vegetables are always the first choice for obtaining many different vitamins. Margarine and vegetable oils also contain large amounts of Vitamin E, but people need to be careful about their use as they can contain many harmful ingredients. Eggs and milk also contain Vitamin E in moderate amounts. Also, in many countries, breakfast cereals are fortified with Vitamin E.
Obtaining Vitamin E from food sources is important because of the numerous tasks that Vitamin E performs inside the body. Vitamin E is an important nutrient because it is a fat-soluble anti-oxidant, which allows it to protect cell membranes from the effects of free radicals. Vitamin E also is an important component in the regulation of other vitamins within the body, most notably Vitamins A and C.
Not obtaining enough Vitamin E in the diet can result in a large variety of seemingly unrelated symptoms. Things like poor vision and blindness as well as Ataxia are frequently seen. Ataxia is the loss of coordinated muscle control because of nerve cell damage. A deficiency in Vitamin E is rarely caused by poor diet, but is more than likely caused by problems with absorption into the body. Because Vitamin E requires the presence of fat, many diseases which cause problems with fat digestion can also cause Vitamin E deficiency. Liver damage is a frequently associated with this situation. Another common symptom of Vitamin E deficiency is a type of anemia that is caused because red blood cells are destroyed quickly without Vitamin E’s protection.
There are many problems associated with having excessive levels of Vitamin E in the body, which is why supplements are generally not recommended for people unless they have a medical condition that prevents Vitamin E absorption such as Crohn’s or Cystic Fibrosis. High levels of Vitamin E can lead to excessive hemorrhaging and strokes. High levels of Vitamin E in pregnant women have also been shown to cause heart problems for the fetus.
The best way to obtain Vitamin E is from raw fruits and vegetables, not only because they contain large amounts of the nutrient, but also because they contain many other vitamins and minerals. Margarine and other vegetable oils also contain Vitamin E, but should not be a primary food source of the nutrient. Milk, eggs and fortified cereals are all also good sources of the nutrients.
