Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin E

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BSc (Hons) MSc DipION Photo of Dr. Patricia Shelton Medically Reviewed by
Dr. Patricia Shelton
Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed. Powered by USDA Nutrition Data.
Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a group of 8 fat-soluble vitamins, which protect cell membranes and other fat-soluble tissues in the body against damage from oxidative stress. (1)

While rare, vitamin E deficiency can lead to poor reflex control, muscle weakness, and fatigue. Over time severe deficiency can lead to complete blindness, dementia, and cardiac arrhythmias. (2)

Conversely, too much vitamin E from supplements can lead to excessive bleeding. (3) Vitamin E foods, like the ones listed below, are generally considered to be safe and healthy, with a very low risk of consuming too much of this vitamin.

In general, consuming adequate amounts of vitamin E promotes the health of the immune system, skin, hair, and liver. (4,5,6,7,8,9,10) Studies are mixed on the protective effect of vitamin E as related to heart disease, macular degeneration, and cancer. (11,12,13) Some results suggest that high doses of vitamin E supplements (alpha-tocopherol) can even increase the risk of cancer. (13) The good news is that vitamin E from diet alone carries the most protective benefit. (13) This is believed to be due to the fact that multiple different forms of vitamin E are found in foods, while most supplements contain only a single form.

Foods high in vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, avocados, squash, kiwifruit, trout, shrimp (prawns), olive oil, wheat germ oil, and broccoli. The current daily value (DV) for vitamin E is 15mg. (14) Vitamin E is also lipid soluble, which means that fats in your diet will help you absorb vitamin E.

Below is a list of foods high in vitamin E sorted by a common serving size. For more, see the list of vitamin E rich foods sorted by a 100-gram serving, and the list of vitamin E rich foods sorted by a 200 calorie serving size.

List of Vitamin E Foods

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The Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin E

Foods High in Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) by Nutrient Density (100 Gram Serving Size)

This ranking lets you know which foods have the most Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) per gram of food.

FoodServingVitamin E
1. Wheat Germ Oil + 100 grams 996% DV
(149.4mg)
2. Chili Powder + 100 grams 254% DV
(38.1mg)
3. Dried Sunflower Seeds + 100 grams 234% DV
(35.2mg)
4. Cayenne Pepper + 100 grams 199% DV
(29.8mg)
5. Paprika + 100 grams 194% DV
(29.1mg)
6. Almonds + 100 grams 171% DV
(25.6mg)
7. Dried Oregano + 100 grams 122% DV
(18.3mg)
8. Toasted Wheat Germ + 100 grams 107% DV
(16mg)
9. Dry Roasted Hazelnuts + 100 grams 102% DV
(15.3mg)
10. Smooth Peanut Butter + 100 grams 61% DV
(9.1mg)
See the complete list of Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) foods ranked by a 100 gram serving size.

Foods High in Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) by Calorie Density (200 Calorie Serving Size)

This ranking lets you know which foods have the most Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) per calorie of food. It is ideal for those who want to maximize their Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) intake per calorie of food, reducing their overall calorie intake to lose weight.

FoodServingVitamin E
1. Almond Milk (Unsweetened) 200 calories 563% DV
(84.4mg)
2. Wheat Germ Oil 200 calories 225% DV
(33.8mg)
3. Chili Powder 200 calories 180% DV
(27mg)
4. Jalapeno Peppers 200 calories 165% DV
(24.7mg)
5. Silken Tofu 200 calories 163% DV
(24.5mg)
6. Fresh Cilantro 200 calories 145% DV
(21.7mg)
7. Paprika (Powder) 200 calories 138% DV
(20.6mg)
8. Broccoli Raab (Cooked) 200 calories 135% DV
(20.2mg)
9. Swiss Chard (Cooked) 200 calories 133% DV
(19.9mg)
10. Spinach (Cooked) 200 calories 121% DV
(18.1mg)
See the complete list of Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) foods ranked by a 200 calorie serving size.

How much Vitamin E Do You Need Everyday?

The daily value (%DV) for vitamin E is 15mg and is a general target intended for most people. (14) The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) sets more specific targets, based on a person's age and gender. The RDA for vitamin E is between 4 - 20mg for most people. (15)

Life StageRDA
Infants
0-6 months old*4mg
7-12 months old*5mg
Children
1-3 years old6mg
4-8 years old7mg
Males
9-13 years old11mg
14+ years old15mg
Females
9-13 years old11mg
14+ years old15mg
Pregnancy
14-50 years old15mg
Lactation
14-50 years old19mg
* Adequate Intake (AI)
Source: National Library of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids

How Much Vitamin E is Too Much?

Since too much vitamin E from supplements may increase the risk of bleeding, the U.S. National Library of Medicine Established Tolerable Upper Limits of Intake (UL). Below is a table of tolerable upper limits for vitamin E by age and gender. The tolerable upper limit for Vitamin E ranges between 200 - 1,000mg.

Note: no studies show that excess vitamin E from foods is harmful, so these numbers are only relevant to you if you're taking supplements containing vitamin E. Some multivitamins contain very high levels of vitamin E, so it's important to check the label of any supplement that you may be taking. (15)

Life StageRDA
Children
1-3 years old200mg
4-8 years old300mg
Males
9-13 years old600mg
14-18 years old800mg
19+ years old1,000mg
Females
9-13 years old600mg
14-18 years old800mg
19+ years old1,000mg
Pregnancy
14-18 years old800mg
19+ years old1000mg
Lactation
14-18 years old800mg
19+ years old1000mg
Source: National Library of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids

Health Benefits of Vitamin E

  • Healthy Immune System - Vitamin E is an antioxidant found at particularly high concentrations in cells of the immune system. (16) A deficiency of vitamin E impairs the immune system, so consuming adequate amounts of vitamin E is essential for a healthy immune system. (4)
  • Healthy Skin - Vitamin E is the primary fat-soluble antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage. (5)
  • Liver Health - Vitamin E is associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer. (6) Further, vitamin E promotes recovery for diabetic patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (7,8) Consuming adequate amounts of vitamin E may help to promote liver health.
  • Hair Health - Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that can help heal some of the oxidative stress in aging hair. (9) In one study, supplements of (a form of vitamin E) lead to 34.5% hair growth in patients suffering from alopecia. (10) Patients took 100mg of mixed tocotrienol daily over the course of a month. (10) Because of the potential risks associated with taking high doses of vitamin E, it's important to be cautious with this approach. If you're suffering from alopecia, discuss the possibility of taking vitamin E as a part of your treatment plan. Otherwise, aim for consuming your daily recommended amount of vitamin E through foods to promote healthy hair.

Is Vitamin E found in meats?

In general, meat is a poor source of vitamin E. Since vitamin E is fat-soluble, what little vitamin E is found in meats will tend to be in fattier cuts. Choose vegetables and fish instead of meat to meet your requirements for vitamin E.

See the nutrient ranking of meats high in vitamin E.

Warnings

  • High-dose vitamin E supplements interfere with the process of blood clotting, which increases the risk of excessive bleeding or hemorrhage. (17)
  • People with cystic fibrosis are at an increased risk of vitamin E deficiency. (18) Vitamin E supplements may be recommended for people with cystic fibrosis.
  • Nuts, seeds, and oils are high calorie foods. You may want to take this into consideration if you have a high body mass index, and are trying to lose weight.

Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.


View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. Niki E. Vitamin E and oxidative stress Free Radic Biol Med. 2014 Jan;66:3-12. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.03.022. Epub 2013 Apr 2. 23557727
  2. Sokol RJ. Neurologic findings in vitamin E deficiency Adv Pediatr. 1990;37:119-48. 2176058
  3. Niki E, Traber MG. Vitamin E Toxicity Ann Nutr Metab. 2012;61(3):207-12. doi: 10.1159/000343106. Epub 2012 Nov 26. 23183290
  4. Sen CK, Khanna S, Roy S. Regulatory role of vitamin E in the immune system and inflammation Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:127-42. doi: 10.1196/annals.1331.013. 15753140
  5. Miyachi Y. The role of vitamin E in normal and damaged skin J Dermatol Sci. 1995 Mar;9(2):79-86. doi: 10.1016/0923-1811(94)00363-j. 7772578
  6. Zhao LG, Shu XO, Li HL, Zhang W, Gao J, Sun JW, Zheng W, Xiang YB. Vitamin intake and liver cancer risk: a report from two cohort studies in China J Epidemiol. 2017 Mar;27(3):89-97. doi: 10.1016/j.je.2016.10.002. Epub 2016 Dec 26. 28142039
  7. Askari F, Rashidkhani B, Hekmatdoost A. Tocotrienols for normalisation of hepatic echogenic response in nonalcoholic fatty liver: a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial Nutr Res. 2014 Feb;34(2):143-8. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2013.11.005. Epub 2013 Dec 6. 24461315
  8. Dufour JF. Pioglitazone, vitamin E, or placebo for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis Hepatology. 2010 Aug;52(2):789-92. doi: 10.1002/hep.23817. 20683969
  9. Trüeb RM. Oxidative stress in ageing of hair Int J Cosmet Sci. 2015 Dec;37 Suppl 2:25-30. doi: 10.1111/ics.12286. 26574302
  10. Daud ZA, Tubie B, Sheyman M, Osia R, Adams J, Tubie S, Khosla P. Effects of tocotrienol supplementation on hair growth in human volunteers Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2013;9:747-61. doi: 10.2147/VHRM.S51710. Epub 2013 Nov 28. 24348043
  11. Léger C. Vitamin E and cardiovascular disease Ann Biol Clin (Paris). 2000 Sep-Oct;58(5):527-40. 11022097
  12. Hall NF, Gale CR. Vitamin E supplementation and macular degeneration: randomised controlled trial BMJ. 2002 Jul 6;325(7354):1-2. doi: 10.1136/bmj.325.7354.1. 12098707
  13. Yang CS, Luo P, Zeng Z, Wang H, Malafa M, Suh N. Does vitamin E prevent or promote cancer? Mol Carcinog. 2020 Apr;59(4):365-389. doi: 10.1002/mc.23160. Epub 2020 Feb 3. 32017273
  14. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  15. Institute of Medicine (US) Panel on Micronutrients. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. 25057538
  16. Sen CK, Khanna S, Roy S. Regulatory role of vitamin E in the immune system and inflammation Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:127-42. doi: 10.1196/annals.1331.013. 15753140
  17. Kapadia P, Bona R. Vitamin E-induced coagulopathy in a young patient: a case report Conn Med. 2008 Apr;72(4):207-9. 18478986
  18. Okebukola PO, Kansra S, Barrett J. Vitamin E supplementation in people with cystic fibrosis Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Mar 6;3(3):CD009422. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009422.pub3. 28262916

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