Vitamin E Tocopherol
HYG-5554-05
This fact sheet is one in a series containing information to help you select
foods that provide adequate daily amounts of vitamins, minerals, and dietary
fiber. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee just released the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans 2005 that convey the following nine major messages
concerning these topics:
Adequate nutrients within calorie needs
Weight management
Physical activity
Food groups to encourage: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or
low-fat milk and milk products.
Fat
Carbohydrates
Sodium and potassium
Alcoholic beverages
Food safety
Why do we need vitamin E?
Vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin, is an antioxidant vitamin involved in the
metabolism of all cells. It protects vitamin A and essential fatty acids from
oxidation in the body cells and prevents breakdown of body tissues.
What is a good source of vitamin E?
A good food source of vitamin E contains a substantial amount of vitamin E in
relation to its calorie content and contributes at least 10 percent of the U.S.
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin E in a selected serving size. The
U.S. RDA for vitamin E is 15 milligrams alpha-tocopherol equivalents per day for
both men and women ages 19 and older. Alpha-tocopherol is a form of vitamin E
that is easily converted by the body to vitamin E. The U.S. RDA is changed for
pregnant or lactating women—consult your healthcare provider.
According to recent surveys of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the
intake of vitamin E by women 19–50 years of age averages less than 90 percent of
the RDA. Americans consume roughly 7–9 milligrams compared to the recommended 15
milligrams. Generally Americans consume two-thirds of their vitamin E intake
from salad oils, shortenings, and margarines. Eleven percent is from fruits and
vegetables and the other 7 percent is from grains and grain products. The
diagram below shows where vitamin E is located on the Food Guide Pyramid.
How can we get enough vitamin E?
Eating a variety of foods that contain vitamin E is the best way to get an
adequate amount. Healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely need
supplements. The table in this fact sheet will help you select foods that are
good sources of vitamin E. Since vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, people on
low-fat diets can have trouble getting enough of the vitamin. Therefore, dietary
fat should be monitored and not reach below safe limits.
How to prepare foods to retain vitamin E.
Vitamin E can be lost from foods during preparation, cooking, or storage. To
retain vitamin E:
Use whole-grain flours.
Store foods in airtight containers and avoid exposing them to light.
What about fortified foods?
Most ready-to-eat cereals are fortified with vitamin E. Fortified
ready-to-eat cereals usually contain at least 40% of the U.S. RDA for vitamin
E.
What is a serving?
The serving sizes used in the table in this fact sheet are only estimates of
the amounts of food you might eat. The amount of a nutrient in a serving depends
on the weight of the serving. For example, 1/2 cup canned fruit contains more
vitamin E than 1/2 cup of the same fruit served raw, because a serving of the
canned fruit weighs more. Therefore, the canned fruit may appear on the list
while the raw form does not. The raw fruit provides the nutrient—but just not
enough in a 1/2-cup serving to be considered a good source.
References
Browne, M. B. 1993. Label Facts for Healthful Eating. Mazer
Corporation, Dayton, OH.
Duyff, Roberta. 2002. American Dietetic Association: Complete Food and
Nutrition Guide, 2nd ed. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ.
Escott-Stump, Mahan. 2000. Krause’s Food, Nutrition, and Diet Therapy,
10th ed. W. B. Sanders Company, Philadelphia, PA.
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Life Sciences
Research Office. Prepared for the Interagency Board for Nutrition Monitoring and
Related Research. 1995. Third Report on Nutrition Monitoring in the United
States: Volumes 1 and 2. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.
Subcommittee on the 10th Edition of the RDAs, Food and Nutrition Board,
Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council. 1994. Recommended
Dietary Allowances, 10th ed. Academy Press, Washington, DC.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 4th ed. Home
and Garden Bulletin No. 232. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC.
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