Vitamin E occurs in eight forms, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Alpha-tocopherol, the form needed by humans, acts as an antioxidant in the body. Antioxidants prevent damage caused by free radicals -- groups of atoms with unpaired electrons. This vitamin also participates in cell signaling and the function of the immune system. The Food and Nutrition Board recommends that adults consume 15 mg of vitamin E per day.
Mango
Mangoes have a sweet taste that makes it easy to eat them raw or add them to fruit salads and healthy desserts. This fruit contains vitamin C, niacin, thiamin, vitamin B-6, folate, vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese. Mangoes also contain vitamin E in the form of alpha-tocopherol. A cup of raw mango pieces contains 1.49 mg of vitamin E, or 9.9 percent of the recommended daily value for this vitamin.
Kiwi
Because kiwis grow in California and New Zealand, consumers have access to the tangy fruit year-round. This makes it easier to consume vitamin E and the other nutrients found in kiwifruit. This fruit contains phytonutrients, which protect DNA from damage caused by unstable free radicals. The World's Healthiest Foods website explains that researchers do not know exactly what kiwi compounds perform this function, but some suspect that the carotenoids and flavonoids in kiwifruit play a role in protecting the DNA from cellular damage. Kiwifruit also contains dietary fiber that reduces cholesterol levels, removes toxins from the colon and reduces the risk of heart disease. One kiwifruit contains 0.85 mg of vitamin E, or 4.3 percent of the recommended daily value for this nutrient.
Nectarine
Because nectarines look like peaches, some people confuse the two fruits. An easy way to tell them apart is to look for fuzz. Peaches have fuzz while nectarines do not. Nectarines lack the gene necessary to produce fuzz, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation. Nectarines offer a low-fat, sodium-free source of vitamins and minerals. One raw nectarine contains 1.09 mg of vitamin E.
Blueberries
Blueberries contain anthocyanins, the same chemicals found in red wine. These chemicals fight the damaging effects of free radicals. Anthocyanins also help improve visual acuity -- clearness of vision -- and night vision, according to Mary Ann Lila, director of the Fruit and Science Institute at North Carolina State University. While researchers have documented the effects of anthocyanins on vision, they do not know exactly how these chemicals work to improve vision. Lila notess that some scientists theorize that anthocyanins enhance the regeneration of rhodopsin, a pigment in the retina of the eye. This pigment helps the eye perceive light and form the cells that receive light signals. Other benefits of blueberries include improved digestion and protection against colon cancer and ovarian cancer. One cup of blueberries contains 1.46 mg of vitamin E.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin E
- Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes (PDF)
- The World's Healthiest Foods: Kiwifruit
- The World's Healthiest Foods: Blueberries
- PubMed.gov: Anthocyanins and Human Health: An In Vitro Investigative Approach
- The National Health Museum: How We See: The First Steps of Human Vision
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