Bhavna
Foods that Boost Your Vitamin E Intake
One of the best things about preparing your own meals is the control it gives you in terms of feeding body and mind with healthful vitamins and nutritions. Of the many vitamins contained in foods, one that many of us are lacking, is Vitamin E – the vital fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant that helps fight free radicals, plays an important role in making red blood cells, and helps your body make Vitamin K – which is key to heart health. According to the National Institutes of Health, many Americans lack Vitamin E in their daily diet. This means that they cannot adequately defend themselves against the many toxins they are exposed to everyday – including air pollution, UV light from the sun, and smoke. Why not take back the power over your own health and feed yourself life-giving Vitamin E every day, with the help of a few simple recipes?
How Much Vitamin E Do you Need?
The right amount of Vitamin E helps keep skin beautiful and keeps disease at bay. Vitamin E is as important for our beauty as it is for our health, because it is a powerful antioxidant that helps keep lines, wrinkles, and sagging at bay. Even children need adequate amounts of Vitamin E to keep their skin in tip-top condition. It is important to check out official recommended quantities to ensure everyone in your family has all the Vitamin E they need. A child aged one to three years old, for instance, needs only 6mg (or 9 IU) a day, while a teen aged 14 to 18 needs around 15mg (22.4 IU) per day, as adults do.
Where to Source Vitamin E?
If you have an inadequate intake of Vitamin E you might consider supplementation. However, you should aim to obtain all your nutritional requirements from your diet. A nutritious diet, after all, will include other vitamins, nutrients, and amino acids your body needs to function optimally. Vitamin E can be sourced from vegetable oils (aim for healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil as opposed to sunflower or corn oil); green leafy vegetables (think spinach or kale); eggs; fortified cereals; and nuts. If you are interested in supplementation, be sure to speak to your doctor first to ensure it is right for you. Clinical trials indicate that taking more than 400 IU of Vitamin E per day can increase the risk of death from all causes; the risk increases in accordance with an increase in dosage.
A Healthy Vitamin E-Rich Smoothie Recipe
To start off your day with a Vitamin E boost, why not enjoy this luscious green smoothie, rich in Vitamin E and iron-rich spinach and smooth and tasty to boot?
To make your smoothie you will need:
One cup spinach
One cup water
1 cup diced mango
2 cups frozen bananas
Instructions: Place all the ingredients together in a blender, adding water if the blend is too thick. If you like your smoothie on the sweeter side, consider a natural sweetener like stevia, which won’t cause your glucose levels to spike and which bears a pleasant taste that accompanies hot and cold beverages to perfection.
Vitamin E is crucial for your immunity, though it also keeps skin in tip-top condition. Its secret is its ability to scavenge free radicals, which are responsible for premature aging and inflammation. If your diet is lacking, speak to your doctor about supplementation, to ensure you get the dosage just right.
This is a Guest Post by Jacqueline Bell
Images by Unsplash
