Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant, an anti-aging compound that helps prevent cells from being damaged by free radicals. By keeping your cells healthy, you can prevent chronic disease, improve the health of your immune system, and produce healthy red blood cells to take oxygen to your heart and other organs. But it is important for vitamin E to be absorbed properly in your body in order for you to benefit from it. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that blood fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, can keep vitamin E from being used in the body.

Researchers at Oregon State University looked at a group of adult men and women who ate collard greens with a compound in them that helped track vitamin E throughout their body. It was found that less than one-third of the vitamin E in the leafy greens made it to the tissues that needed it. Although more studies will need to be done to confirm these findings, those with higher blood fats are likely to be at a higher risk of chronic disease. This is because vitamin E will be more likely to be absorbed by the blood fats than transported to the tissues that need it. So be sure to eat plenty of vitamin E-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, and fortified foods, and work with your healthcare provider to lower your triglycerides if they are high.