nutrient
Vitamin E
A fat-soluble family of tocopherols and tocotrienols that protects cell membranes from oxidation.
Alpha-tocopherol is the form maintained preferentially in human plasma. Vitamin E is carried with dietary fat, and its absorption depends on normal fat digestion.
What it does
Vitamin E acts as a lipid-soluble antioxidant, helping interrupt chain reactions involving polyunsaturated fatty acids in membranes and lipoproteins. The liver preferentially retains alpha-tocopherol; other tocopherols are broken down and removed more quickly.
Where it comes from
Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and green vegetables provide vitamin E, but food composition depends on variety and processing. A supplement’s chemical form and label amount must be read together.
Food sources
Per 100 g| Food | Per 100 g | Daily reference |
|---|---|---|
| Almonds, dry-roasted and salted | 19 mg | 146.15–172.73% |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 3.55 mg | 27.31–32.27% |
| Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018) | 2.04 mg | 15.69–18.55% |
| Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 2.03 mg | 15.62–18.45% |
| Hummus, commercial | 1.74 mg | 13.38–15.82% |
Show 10 more foods
| Food | Per 100 g | Daily reference |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018) | 1.14 mg | 8.77–10.36% |
| Grape tomatoes, raw | 0.98 mg | 7.54–8.91% |
| Carrots, frozen and unprepared | 0.69 mg | 5.31–6.27% |
| Braised chicken breast | 0.33 mg | 2.54–3% |
| Braised chicken drumstick | 0.17 mg | 1.31–1.55% |
| Soy milk, unsweetened and shelf-stable | 0.16 mg | 1.2–1.42% |
| Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018) | 0.11 mg | 0.85–1% |
| Cottage cheese, 2% fat | 0.08 mg | 0.62–0.73% |
| Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified | 0.02 mg | 0.15–0.18% |
| Greek yogurt, plain nonfat | 0.01 mg | 0.08–0.09% |
Compared with EFSA’s adult reference of 11–13 mg/day. The percentage range reflects different adult reference groups.
About these amounts
These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.
Healthy European adults; women / men; alpha-tocopherol. Adequate intake: 11–13 mg/day. These are population references, not individual targets.
Portions recorded by the source
- Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 25.65 mg, 197.31–233.18% of the daily reference.
- Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 0.59 mg, 4.54–5.36% of the daily reference.
- Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 0.57 mg, 4.42–5.22% of the daily reference.
- Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 0.18 mg, 1.36–1.61% of the daily reference.
- Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 0.18 mg, 1.35–1.6% of the daily reference.
- Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified: 1 cup (246 g) — 0.05 mg, 0.38–0.45% of the daily reference.
- Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 0.02 mg, 0.12–0.14% of the daily reference.
The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.
Forms
Alpha-tocopherol is a form of Vitamin E.
Alpha-tocopherol is a named chemical form within its parent vitamin family.
Gamma-tocopherol is a form of Vitamin E.
Gamma-tocopherol is a named chemical form within its parent vitamin family.
Related topics
Vitamin E helps protect polyunsaturated fats from oxidation.
Vitamin E helps interrupt oxidation reactions involving polyunsaturated fats in cell membranes. This is a biochemical role, not a claim that supplements prevent a disease.
Worth knowing
Alpha-tocopherol is the reference form. EFSA’s vitamin E reference is expressed as alpha-tocopherol. Amounts of gamma-tocopherol or other forms cannot simply be added to it.
Products can name different vitamin E forms. A label may list alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, tocotrienols or a mixture. The named form matters because these are related compounds, not one interchangeable ingredient.
A closer look
Bleeding-risk context
High-dose vitamin E supplements can affect bleeding risk and interact with medicines. Food sources and supplement doses are different exposure records.
Natural and synthetic forms differ
Natural d-alpha-tocopherol and synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol contain different mixtures of molecular arrangements. Their vitamin activity per milligram differs. That makes the full form name useful when reading a supplement label.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.
- NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsVitamin E: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
- European Food Safety AuthorityDietary Reference Values for nutrients: Summary reportChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05