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I know this is a simple question, but it hasn't been asked on here yet (so it seems from my search results).

What is the most nutrient-dense source of vitamin E?

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closed as off topic by Nathan Wheeler Sep 20 '12 at 19:35


Off topic per new FAQ. –  Baarn Sep 20 '12 at 18:56

2 Answers 2

up vote 2 down vote accepted

George Mateljan in the World’s Healthiest Foods, lists sunflower seeds and swiss chard as sources of excellent quality Vitamin E. Using his rating system, an excellent rating has a daily value percentage of over 75% and a nutrient density (based on total nutrient richness) score over 7.6

Almonds and spinach are rated very good. Collard greens, kale, papaya, olives, bell peppers, brussels sprouts, kiwi, blueberries, tomatoes and broccoli are listed as good.

Additionally, he writes that Vitamin E is a family of fat soluble vitamin. Food sources contain the full spectrum ( alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-trocopherols and tocotrienols). Supplements generally contain only a synthetic di-alpha tocopherol. Vitamin E is partially processed out of wheat/wheat germ with commercial processing. He recommends storing oils (olive, sunflower, peanut) air tight to protect their vitamin E. His site gives recipes noting ways to prepare and cook to optimize vitamins.

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The best source I know is red palm oil. (note that red = raw and unrefined, and that palm kernel oil is something else altogether)

Raw palm oil not contains plenty of carotenes and lycopene, but also about 0.4 mg of tocotrienols plus a similar amount of alpha-tocopherol per 1 g of oil.

Wheat germ oil is also rich in tocotrienols, and contains a lot more tocopherols, but is a lot less stable, resulting in a rather short shelf life.

PS: Vitamin E is a class of 8 substances, namely alpha- through delta-tocopherol and alpha- through delta tocotrienol. Most supplements contain only alpha-tocopherol, converted from a natural mix of tocopherols by a process called methylation. Reseach suggests however, that mixed tocopherols and/or tocotrienols work a lot better than one isolated tocopherol, and that overly high dosages of alpha-tocopherol are unhealty. Tocotrienols are more potent than tocopherols.

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