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Unsaturated vegetable oils are the best source of vitamin E. These include oils made of soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, cottonseed and safflower. Foods made of unsaturated oil such as some margarines and salad dressings are good sources of vitamin E. This vitamin also is added to processed foods as a preservative.

Typically, any food containing unsaturated fats is a good source of vitamin E. Good sources of vitamin E include:

• Asparagus
• Corn
• Egg yolks
• Green, leafy vegetables
• Liver
• Nuts, especially almonds and hazelnuts
• Olives
• Peanut butter
• Seeds, especially sunflower seeds
• Wheat germ

Examples of certain foods and the amount of vitamin E (ATE, in milligrams) they contain include:

Vitamin E is also easily destroyed during heat processes such as deep-fat frying. For this reason, it is best to obtain vitamin E from fresh or lightly cooked foods.

Experts usually recommend that people get all of their vitamin E from their diets rather than from supplements. However, in some cases supplementation may be advised. For example, people who cannot absorb fat due to certain illnesses (e.g., Crohn’s disease or cystic fibrosis) require a vitamin E supplement because dietary fat is necessary to absorb this vitamin from food. People who cannot secrete bile (which aids fat digestion) may require a special water-soluble form of vitamin E.

Vitamin E supplements are available in both natural and synthetic forms. Natural forms typically are labeled with the letter “d” (e.g., d-gamma-tocopherol). Synthetic forms typically are labeled “dl” (e.g., dl-alpha-tocopherol).

Vitamin E supplements can cause side effects when taken in large amounts or when taken with medications such anticoagulants. As a result, supplements should not be taken without first consulting a physician.