Benefits of Vitamin E
Why you need vitamin E, how much you need, and where to get it
Benefits of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that may help prevent heart disease, Alzheimer's, and two common vision stealers -- macular degeneration and cataracts.
Recommended Amount: How Much You Need
Government guidelines recommend a daily intake of 22.5 international units (IU) of vitamin E, but this is only enough to prevent deficiency. For optimal health and disease prevention, RealAge recommends that you aim for 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E per day. It's tough to get all the vitamin E you need from food alone, so top off your supply with a daily vitamin E supplement.
Tip: Take your E with C (1,200 mg). These two antioxidant vitamins work together to prevent the oxidation that causes clogs in blood vessel walls, and pairing them on a daily basis can make your RealAge 3 years younger.
Good Sources of Vitamin E
| Cereal: raisin bran, corn flakes (1 cup) | 20 IU |
| Almonds (1/4 cup) | 14 IU |
| Sunflower seeds (1/4 cup) | 12 IU |
| Spinach, cooked from frozen (1 cup) | 10 IU |
| Hazelnuts (1/4 cup) | 8 IU |
| Safflower oil (1 tablespoon) | 7 IU |
| Red bell pepper (1 cup) | 4 IU |
| Avocado (1/2 medium) | 3 IU |
| Olive oil (1 tablespoon) | 3 IU |
| Mango (1 medium) | 3 IU |
| Tomatoes, canned (1 cup) | 3 IU |
Try these healthy recipes for a taste of vitamin E:
- Cranberry-Almond Granola
- Spinach, Avocado and Mango Salad
- Catfish Amandine
- Lentil and Almond Burgers
Find more healthy recipes with the RealAge Recipe Finder.
