If you’re cosmetic-savvy, you already know that Vitamin E is great for the skin. But, did you know that Vitamin E is a highly powerful antioxidant? In this article, I want to talk about the benefits of vitamin E and the food you need to eat to make sure you get enough of it.
Vitamin E is the collective name for a collection of fat-soluble compounds. By taking in sufficient amounts of this vitamin, you derive the following benefits:
- Great skin that is protected from UV rays
- Effective cell-to-cell communication
- Protection against certain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Prostate cancer
Vitamin E has strong antioxidant activity. This protects the cells from free radicals. Free radicals, as most people know, are the reasons behind a number of dangerous health problems like cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Vitamin E helps maintain the health of the circulatory system. It boosts the wound healing capacity of the body. It aids blood clotting and could therefore have a positive effect on premenstrual syndrome. Studies show that it could even be vital in preventing breast diseases to some extent.
In addition to this, Vitamin E also boosts immunity and may contribute to metabolic processes like cell regulation. A healthy intake of Vitamin E through natural food sources could protect the body from age related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.
Vitamin E may help to arrest the following diseases:
- Hepatitis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Infertility
- Fibromyalgia
- Hair loss
- Diabetes
- Osteoarthritis
- Menopausal syndromes
Vitamin E can prevent the deposits of fat and could therefore prevent atherosclerosis. However, taking in excess of this vitamin through supplements could lead to toxicity. Besides, the synthetic form of the vitamin is not as effective as the natural form. Thus, sufficient amounts of vitamin E must find its way into the body through natural food sources.
According to the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB), the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin E for adults is 15 mg.
Sources of Vitamin E
Vegetables:
Vitamin E is found in small quantities in a wide variety of foods. It is found in mustard greens, spinach, turnip greens, Kale, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, ripe tomatoes and broccoli.
Fruits and Nuts:
You can also derive healthy amounts of vitamin E from fruits like blueberries, avocados, Kiwi fruit and olives. Nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, mixed dry nuts, peanuts, pistachios and sunflower seeds also contain Vitamin E. Those who do not like peanuts may also opt for peanut butter. Wheat germ also contains healthy amounts of this vitamin.
Some oils contain this vitamin. A spoon of cottonseed oil or safflower oil has almost 4.5mg of Vitamin E.
In conclusion
Vitamin E is an important nutrient for the body. Fortunately, it is found in many foods. However, some food items may lose their Vitamin E content when the food is stored or processed. For instance, whole grains are depleted of their vitamin E content when they are polished. That is why it is important to eat these foods when they are fresh and unprocessed.
