Vitamin E is an essential nutrient that helps ward off disease. It's an antioxidant that protects cells from damage by free radicals that might contribute to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Women should get 15 mg daily but most consume less than half the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). Vitamin E is plentiful in high-fat foods like nuts, avocados, and vegetable oils, that many women don't eat enough of.