KESEHATAN
Those of us with healthy eyes tend to take eye health for granted. Instead of waiting until our vision heads south, let's take a look at our diets to improve our eyes. Since we’re wrapping up Healthy Vision Month, Vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, beta carotene, lutein have been shown to reduce risk for cataracts and macular degeneration. Here are foods that are high in these nutrients, plus ideas for how to incorporate them in your diet.
12. Best Foods and Tips To Improve Eyesight
1. Eat for Good Vision
Protecting your eyes starts with the food on your plate. Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E might help ward off age-related vision problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts, studies show. Regularly eating these foods can help lead to good eye health.
- Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collards
- Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish
- Eggs, nuts, beans, and other non-meat protein sources
- Oranges and other citrus fruits or juices
Eating a well-balanced diet also helps you maintain a healthy weight, which makes you less likely to get obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults..
2. Spinach
Toss these lutein superstars into lasagna, layer leaves in sandwiches or even blend in a smoothie (you won’t taste it mixed with fruit!). Just 10 milligrams of lutein per day—about 1/2 cup spinach—can help prevent vision loss, research has proven.
3. Beyond Carrots
You've probably heard that carrots and other orange-colored fruits and vegetables promote eye health and protect vision, and it's true: Beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A that gives these foods their orange hue, helps the retina and other parts of the eye to function smoothly.
But eating your way to good eyesight isn't only about beta-carotene. Though their connection to vision isn't as well-known, several other vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy eyes. Make these five foods a staple of your diet to keep your peepers in tip-top shap.
4. Eggs
Start your day off with an egg or two to keep your vision on track. Eggs contain proteins that are beneficial to the lens of your eye. The yolk is equally good for you as it helps prevent eye diseases as you age.
5. Salmon
Delicious, heart-healthy salmon is rich in B-vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which can help protect eyes. Salmon is particularly rich in the B-vitamin niacin; several scientific studies have shown that people who eat a diet containing plenty of foods rich in riboflavin and niacin can slash the risk of cataracts by about half. Salmon's healthy fats may also help stave off macular degeneration by protecting light receptor cells in the eye from damage by sunlight and free radicals. One study found that people who ate just one weekly serving of fish, generally a good source of omega-3 fats, cut their risk of macular degeneration by over 30 percent. If you want to take advantage of this promising research, I recommend eating fatty fish like salmon, sardines, Atlantic mackerel, striped bass, and trout at least two times each week.
6. Carrots Bring Two Benefits
Foods with beta-carotene are like a one-two punch of health benefits! Once you ingest beta-carotene, your body changes it into vitamin A, which helps not only with good eye health, but also with a strong immune system and healthy skin. Mom always told us to eat our carrots and she was right! Nonprocessed "adult" carrots are a top source of beta-carotene (almost 5,000g of vitamin A in an average carrot), but baby carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, and greens also contain a healthy dose. A few servings of these veggies a day will yield great results in your vision.
7. Fish
fish particularly salmon, tuna and cod — contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in the retina. Omega-3s are also known for enhancing your brain power which indirectly leads to better vision. If you're not a fan of fish, take fish oil pills for similar results.
8. Sunflower Seeds
Along with vitamin C, lutein, and beta-carotene, vitamin E is a member of a group of antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals. One study revealed that women who ate a very healthy diet full of all kinds of antioxidants from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains were half as likely to develop cataracts as women who did not eat such a healthy diet. In addition, numerous studies have observed that people with high dietary intakes or blood levels of antioxidants — particularly vitamins C and E — are at a significantly lower risk for cataracts. A diet full of foods rich in vitamin E, like sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, and butters made from these nuts and seeds can protect your vision (and benefit the rest of your body, as well!)
9. Avocados
Avocados contain more lutein than any other fruit. Lutein improves eyesight by reducing your chances of cataracts and other eye diseases.
10. Quinoa
Emerging research suggests that certain foods — most notably low-quality carbohydrates like sugary foods and white refined carbs — may increase the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. Generally speaking, these foods are categorized as high-glycemic carbs, which means they are quickly digested and absorbed by the body, causing a rapid, unhealthy surge in blood sugar levels. Glucose eventually moves from the blood into the eye, and scientists believe that long-term exposure to high sugar loads may damage the retina and tiny capillaries in the eye. Therefore, your eye health is just one more good reason to sweep these foods out of your kitchen. Replacing low quality, refined carbs with whole grains like quinoa (a delicious grain that's a complete protein), brown rice, oats, and whole grain bread is a smart strategy for overall health.
11. Try Taking Vitamins For Vital Vision
Help your eyes by getting plenty of vitamins A and C, as well as Lutein & Zeaxanthin. Don't forget Omega 3's. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that can help maximize your health. Most people know that they're good for your heart - what many don't realize is that Omega 3's can help keep your retinas healthy and stop age-related eyesight deterioration.
12. Dark Chocolate
Make room for dessert — dark chocolate is good for your vision! Specifically, it contains flavonoids that protect the blood vessels in your eyes. Strong blood vessels equal strong cornea and strong lens,
so eat up dark chocolate.
