You must design a meal plan to maximize vitamin E absorption from plant-based sources for a study subject who refuses animal products. Which practical combination is most likely to increase vitamin E bioavailability?

• A. Recommend high doses of supplemental vitamin C to be taken with plant sources of vitamin E because vitamin C acts as an emulsifier in the intestine and will transform vitamin E into a water-soluble compound, markedly raising absorption compared with the same foods eaten with fat.
• B. Serve the plant foods exclusively raw and cold and avoid fats because cold temperatures preserve vitamin structure and keep it stable until digestion, which is the primary determinant of bioavailability rather than the presence of lipids or food matrix.
• C. Include vitamin E–rich foods such as avocado and almonds together with a modest amount of dietary fat (e.g., olive oil in dressing) and use lightly cooked preparations that break down cell walls, increasing release and absorption of fat-soluble vitamin E from plant matrices.
• D. Pair high-vitamin-E plant foods with large amounts of boiled starchy vegetables, because starch improves micelle formation and directly converts water-soluble vitamins into fat-soluble forms, thereby enhancing vitamin E uptake.

Answer: (C)