Foods High in Vitamin E: Nuts, Seeds, Oils and Greens
Which foods are high in vitamin E: wheat germ and sunflower oils, sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, peanut butter and greens, with USDA amounts per serving and official limits.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
How much vitamin E is in common foods
Amounts come from the USDA FoodData Central "SR Legacy" data (April 2018 release), listed as alpha-tocopherol; the amount per serving is worked out from USDA's per-100 g values and gram weights. [3] Oils, nuts and seeds vary by variety and processing. The last column compares a serving with the Daily Value on US labels, 15 mg of alpha-tocopherol. [4] That is a label reference amount, not a personal requirement. Other forms of vitamin E are discussed on Vitamin E forms.| Food | Serving | Vitamin E (mg) | % of US label Daily Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat germ oil | 1 tbsp (13.6 g) | 20.3 | 135% |
| Sunflower seeds, dried | 1 oz (28 g) | 10.0 | 66% |
| Almonds | 1 oz (28 g) | 7.3 | 48% |
| Sunflower oil, linoleic type | 1 tbsp (13.6 g) | 5.6 | 37% |
| Hazelnuts | 1 oz (28 g) | 4.3 | 28% |
| Peanut butter, smooth | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 2.9 | 19% |
| Peanuts, raw | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.4 | 16% |
| Avocado, raw | 1/2 fruit (100 g) | 2.1 | 14% |
| Spinach, cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 1.9 | 12% |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp (13.5 g) | 1.9 | 13% |
| Broccoli, cooked | 1/2 cup (78 g) | 1.1 | 8% |
| Soybean oil | 1 tbsp (13.6 g) | 1.1 | 7% |
Oil type matters: wheat germ and sunflower oils are far higher than olive or soybean oil in this data.
Official intake levels and upper limits
| Body, year | Group | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| US Dietary Reference Intakes via MedlinePlus, 2025 | Ages 14 and older, including pregnancy (RDA); breastfeeding | 15 mg; 19 mg a day [1] |
| US via MedlinePlus, 2025 | Children 1 to 3, 4 to 8, 9 to 13 | 6, 7 and 11 mg a day [1] |
| NHS (UK), page reviewed 2020 | Adult men; women | 4 mg; 3 mg a day [2] |
| EFSA (EU), version of August 2025 | Upper level, adults including pregnancy and lactation | 300 mg a day (a review of EFSA's vitamin E limits is ongoing) [5] |
| US via MedlinePlus, 2025 | Highest safe level of supplements, adults | 1,000 mg a day [1] |
| NHS (UK), 2020 | Supplements unlikely to cause harm | 540 mg (800 IU) a day or less [2] |
The wide gap between countries is explained on RDA, AI, DV and UL. These are published levels for stated groups, not advice to take any amount.
Frequently asked questions
What foods have the most vitamin E?
In the USDA data used here, wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds and sunflower oil were highest per serving. [3]
Is it safe to get vitamin E from food?
MedlinePlus says eating vitamin E in foods is not risky or harmful. [1] Supplements are different, with a bleeding concern at high doses. [1]
How much vitamin E do adults need?
It depends on the country. The US reference is 15 mg a day for ages 14 and older, while the NHS gives 4 mg for men and 3 mg for women. [1][2] Ask a clinician about your own situation.
Is vitamin E in food different from a supplement?
MedlinePlus says eating vitamin E in foods is not risky, while the supplement concern it describes is for high doses of alpha-tocopherol supplements. [1] Forms are compared on the vitamin E forms page.
Does vitamin E prevent heart disease or cancer?
MedlinePlus says this needs further research. [1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety and who should ask a clinician
- Supplements are not the same as food. MedlinePlus says high doses of alpha-tocopherol supplements might increase the risk of bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke), and that high levels might raise the risk of birth defects, though this needs more research. [1]
- Blood thinners, surgery, pregnancy. Because of the bleeding concern, ask your care team and pharmacist before using vitamin E supplements if you take anticoagulants or antiplatelet medicines or have surgery planned. See Vitamins and blood thinners and Medication interactions.
- Research on prevention. MedlinePlus says whether vitamin E can prevent cancer, heart disease, dementia, liver disease and stroke needs further research. [1] See Vitamin E trials.
- Deficiency is uncommon, but MedlinePlus notes low intake can lead to hemolytic anemia in premature babies. [1] That is a hospital matter, not something to treat at home.