Vitamin E-Rich Vegetarian Foods in India: 28 Foods Ranked (IFCT 2017)
Almonds, sunflower seeds and other nuts and seeds come up when vegetarians look for vitamin E. This guide ranks 28 foods by alpha-tocopherol equivalent per 100 g using Table 3 of the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), then shows what a serving we chose holds. It ranks the vitamin E in the food, not how much the body absorbs, which IFCT does not report.
The short answer
By IFCT 2017, safflower seeds have the most vitamin E of the 28 foods here at 35.09 mg of alpha-tocopherol equivalent per 100 g, then pistachio nuts at 33.92 mg and almonds at 25.86 mg. Sunflower seeds have 23.10 mg and linseeds 8.28 mg. Dry whole chana has 1.72 mg, raw spinach 1.29 mg and wheat atta 0.26 mg. Whole cow milk has 0.22 mg per 100 g. Our reading: the nuts and seeds are far ahead per 100 g, but a handful is about 20 g, so look at the serving table too.
28 foods ranked by alpha-tocopherol equivalent per 100 g
Each row is one IFCT 2017 Table 3 row (fat soluble vitamins), the α-Tocopherol Equivalent column (VITE), in mg per 100 g edible portion as listed in the book, mean value as printed. Nuts, seeds, grains and pulses are dry or raw; leaves are raw; milk is as sold. Where IFCT lists several varieties we use one row and name it. Dry soybean and raw spinach tie at 1.29 mg.
| Food (IFCT 2017 Table 3 row) | Alpha-tocopherol equivalent per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Safflower seeds (H019) | 35.09 mg |
| Pistachio nuts (H018) | 33.92 mg |
| Almond (H001) | 25.86 mg |
| Sunflower seeds (H020) | 23.10 mg |
| Linseeds (flaxseed, alsi) (H014) | 8.28 mg |
| Coconut, kernel, dry (copra) (H006) | 6.06 mg |
| Ground nut (peanut), raw (H012) | 4.28 mg |
| Walnut (H021) | 4.12 mg |
| Coconut, kernel, fresh (H007) | 2.72 mg |
| Bengal gram, whole, dry (whole chana) (B002) | 1.72 mg |
| Pumpkin leaves, tender, raw (C030) | 1.69 mg |
| Cashew nut (H005) | 1.60 mg |
| Soybean, brown, dry (B024) | 1.29 mg |
| Spinach, raw (palak) (C033) | 1.29 mg |
| Gingelly seeds, white (white sesame, til) (H011) | 1.26 mg |
| Gingelly seeds, black (black sesame, til) (H009) | 1.09 mg |
| Garden cress, seeds (halim) (H008) | 1.07 mg |
| Wheat, whole (A020) | 0.77 mg |
| Rice, raw, brown (A013) | 0.69 mg |
| Maize, dry (A006) | 0.36 mg |
| Green gram, whole, dry (whole moong) (B011) | 0.33 mg |
| Wheat flour, atta (A019) | 0.26 mg |
| Bajra (pearl millet) (A003) | 0.24 mg |
| Milk, whole, cow (L002) | 0.22 mg |
| Ragi (the grain, raw) (A010) | 0.16 mg |
| Rice, raw, milled (A015) | 0.06 mg |
| Wheat flour, refined (maida) (A018) | 0.05 mg |
| Paneer (L003) | 0.02 mg |
Several spices (mace, cumin and others) and a few vegetables also have vitamin E per 100 g in IFCT 2017, but spices are eaten in grams, so they are left out of this ranking. IFCT 2017 has no row for cooking oils.
Vitamin E in a serving, with weights we chose
IFCT lists food per 100 g, so a serving needs a weight, and these are ours. Each figure is the alpha-tocopherol equivalent per 100 g times the grams, divided by 100, to the nearest 0.1 mg.
| Serving (weights are ours) | Alpha-tocopherol equivalent |
|---|---|
| 20 g pistachio nuts (H018) | 6.8 mg |
| 20 g almonds (H001) | 5.2 mg |
| 20 g sunflower seeds (H020) | 4.6 mg |
| 10 g linseeds (H014) | 0.8 mg |
| 20 g peanuts (H012) | 0.9 mg |
| 20 g walnuts (H021) | 0.8 mg |
| 20 g cashew nuts (H005) | 0.3 mg |
| 10 g white sesame (H011) | 0.1 mg |
| 10 g black sesame (H009) | 0.1 mg |
| 30 g whole chana, dry (B002) | 0.5 mg |
| 100 g raw spinach (C033) | 1.3 mg |
| 100 g raw tender pumpkin leaves (C030) | 1.7 mg |
| 40 g wheat flour (atta) (A019) | 0.1 mg |
| 200 g whole cow milk (L002) | 0.4 mg |
What the numbers say
- A handful of nuts and seeds leads. Pistachio nuts have 33.92 mg per 100 g, almonds 25.86 mg and sunflower seeds 23.10 mg, so 20 g of almonds holds about 5.2 mg and 20 g of sunflower seeds about 4.6 mg.
- Cashew nuts and sesame are much lower. Cashew nuts have 1.60 mg per 100 g, white sesame 1.26 mg and black sesame 1.09 mg.
- Whole grains are ahead of refined ones. Whole wheat 0.77 mg and brown rice 0.69 mg per 100 g, against 0.06 mg for raw milled rice and 0.05 mg for refined wheat flour. See millets vs rice and wheat.
- Milk and paneer are low. Whole cow milk has 0.22 mg per 100 g and paneer 0.02 mg.
The same book ranks minerals and vitamins in other tables: see zinc-rich vegetarian foods, magnesium-rich vegetarian foods and vitamin C-rich foods. For the fats in nuts and seeds, see omega-3 (ALA) rich vegetarian foods.
What the requirement tables say
The tables in the ICMR-NIN 2020 brief note on nutrient requirements for Indians (PDF page 6) list calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, several B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin D, but not vitamin E. So this page gives no requirement figure for vitamin E and does not turn the serving figures into a share of any target.
What this page leaves out
- Absorption: IFCT 2017 reports the vitamin E in the food, not how much the body takes up, and we did not read a source that gives this for Indian foods, so we make no claim for any single food.
- Cooked values, cooking oils and foods with no IFCT row (roti, cooked dal, curd, tofu), and how cooking or storage changes vitamin E.
- Fortified foods and supplements.
- A requirement figure, and whether you have enough vitamin E: only a doctor can tell you that.
A note on health
This article is general educational content, not medical advice. It does not say that any food prevents or treats any condition or low vitamin E. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, follow a restricted diet, have a medical condition, take medicines or have been told your vitamin E is low, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation before changing your diet or taking any supplement.
Log your foods and see the day add up
NYUS is an AI diet and workout coach. You can log foods by search or barcode against 8,900+ foods with calories and macros, and a weekly check-in adjusts your calories, macros and step goal once enough is logged. It gives general information, not medical advice. No ads, no data sold.
Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which vegetarian foods have the most vitamin E?
In IFCT 2017 Table 3, per 100 g, safflower seeds (H019) have 35.09 mg of alpha-tocopherol equivalent, pistachio nuts (H018) 33.92 mg, almonds (H001) 25.86 mg, sunflower seeds (H020) 23.10 mg and linseeds (H014) 8.28 mg. Nuts and seeds are eaten in small amounts, so a 20 g serving of almonds holds about 5.2 mg by our arithmetic.
Is there vitamin E in atta, brown rice or ragi?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 lists whole wheat (A020) at 0.77 mg of alpha-tocopherol equivalent, brown rice (A013) 0.69 mg, dry maize (A006) 0.36 mg, wheat atta (A019) 0.26 mg, bajra (A003) 0.24 mg, ragi (A010) 0.16 mg, raw milled rice (A015) 0.06 mg and refined wheat flour (maida, A018) 0.05 mg. IFCT 2017 has no row for roti or cooked rice, so we give no figures for them.
Do pulses and green leaves have much vitamin E?
Per 100 g, among the pulses here IFCT 2017 gives dry whole chana (B002) 1.72 mg of alpha-tocopherol equivalent, dry soybean (B024) 1.29 mg and dry whole moong (B011) 0.33 mg. Among the raw leaves, tender pumpkin leaves (C030) have 1.69 mg and spinach (C033) 1.29 mg. A 100 g serving of raw spinach holds about 1.3 mg by our arithmetic. IFCT 2017 has no rows for cooked pulses or leaves.
How much vitamin E do I need, and should I take a supplement?
The tables in the ICMR-NIN 2020 brief note (PDF page 6) do not list vitamin E, so this page gives no requirement figure and no share of any target. Whether to take a vitamin E supplement is a decision for a doctor, and this page gives no dose. If you think your vitamin E may be low, or you take medicines, ask a doctor or registered dietitian.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 3 (Fat Soluble Vitamins), α-Tocopherol Equivalent column (VITE, mg), per 100 g edible portion, rows opened and read from the PDF on 24 Oct 2026: A003, A006, A010, A013, A015, A018 (PDF page 101); A019, A020, B002, B011 (PDF page 102); B024 (PDF page 103); C030, C033 (PDF page 105); H001, H005, H006, H007, H008, H009, H011, H012, H014, H018, H019, H020 (PDF page 115); H021, L002, L003 (PDF page 116).
- ICMR-NIN, Nutrient Requirements for Indians 2020, brief note, Tables 3 and 4, PDF page 6 (checked: no vitamin E row).
The serving weights and the serving vitamin E figures are NYUS's own arithmetic, and every sentence starting "Our reading" is NYUS opinion, not from a study. Names in brackets are our matching to the IFCT row names.