As an antioxidant, it acts in the body to protect red blood cells, vitamin A, and unsaturated fatty acids from oxidation damage. It also appears to help maintain healthy membrane tissue. In experiments with rats, vitamin E was found necessary for fertility.
Vitamin E is fat-soluble and is sensitive to oxygen, alkalis, and ultraviolet light.
The quantitative list presents plants and plant products containing significant amounts of the nutrient involved, in approximate order from highest to lowest content for a given weight. Unless otherwise noted, all items are fresh and unprocessed. Dried fruits are often included without their fresh equivalents because the dried versions weigh considerably less and therefore contain more nutrients than the same weight of fresh fruit. Sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, wheat germ oil, walnuts, corn oil, wheat germ, peanuts, olive oil, Brazil nuts, soybean oil, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, dandelion greens, oatmeal, pecans, apples. Much research is needed to determine the vitamin E content of plants other than the usual foods.