Vitamin E is undoubtedly one of the most popular vitamins around, simply because of its range of functions. The vitamin itself isn’t actually one single vitamin, but it actually occurs in eight forms. Each of them has its own effect on the body, but the one that is most beneficial is called alpha tocopherol. It is said to be the only type of E vitamin to meet the requirements of human beings.
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Where is it found?
Vitamin E can be found in a variety of foods. With vegetables it can be found in the green leafy variety. With starch the foods include whole grains and fortified cereal. Lean meat, fish and poultry are also good sources. Then there are vegetable oils, nuts, low-fat or fat-free milk.
Cardiovascular benefits
This is one of the most important benefits of vitamin E, simply because cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death in the developed world. With CVD essentially what happens is that fat builds up in the walls of arteries, eventually leading to the formation of a fibrous plaque, which causes narrowing of the arteries and impairs blood flow.
Vitamin E is low in saturated fats and cholesterol, so if oils containing vitamin E are used for cooking then the risk of CVD can be reduced greatly. Even if you do already have CVD, adding vitamin E to your diet will help slow down the progression of the disease. As such it can help to reduce the complications including strokes and heart attacks.
Antioxidant benefits
Free oxygen radicals in the body caused damage to the cells in the body. They do this by essentially stealing electrons from other molecules, thus changing their structure. As a result their inherent functions also change, and you can be prone to certain degenerative disease processes. Antioxidants get rid of these free radicals and therefore prevent damage. This leaves you feeling younger and more full of energy. It also helps to fight the signs of ageing. Vitamin E is one of the vitamins that serve as a great antioxidant.
Cancer benefits
Cancer is another one of the big killers in the world, and vitamin E can help to prevent this. This works by combining its various effects on the body. First of all it acts as an antioxidant and essentially rids the body of free radicals. These free radicals have been implicated in contributing to the development of cancer. Secondly, it enhances the functioning of the immune system, thus helping the body to fight against the development of cancer. It has been linked with prostate and breast cancer specifically, but this still requires more evidence.
How much do you require?
In order to take advantage of the benefits of vitamin E you need it at certain levels. Learning the values is a nightmare, so it will do you good to rather learn the abbreviations on food labels. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is the amount you need to meet our body’s requirements everyday. The upper level (UL) is the maximum amount you can take without suffering any side effects.
