We often hear why we need fruits and vegetables – for heart health and cancer prevention. Now we can add “eye health” to that list – something that is often taken for granted when we’re young. But, don’t assume that your vision will get worse as you age and there’s nothing you can do about it. You can do something about it.
“Nutrition is key,” says Robert Abel, Jr., MD, clinical professor of ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University and author of “The Eye Care Revolution.” There is a strong belief that the eyes can be a good indicator of the body’s overall health, Abel adds, “We need an orchestra of nutrients, not just one player for good eye health.” The nutrient “players” at the top of the chart for good eye health are found in most fruits and vegetables. So, make sure you are consuming a total of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. This is a minimum!
Are some fruits and vegetables better for eye health than others? Yes, but simply eating more fruits and vegetables is a great place to start. According to the Produce for Better Health Foundation, only 27 percent of women and 19 percent of men report eating five servings of fruits and vegetables per day according to the Food Guide Pyramid.
May Musk, a registered dietitian, international speaker, and author of “Feel Fantastic” and “Executive Stamina,” says, “Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, especially dark-colored foods like carrots, broccoli, and Hubbard squash. Eyes She adds that dark fruits and vegetables are generally “good sources of beta-carotene and many other carotenoids.” Beta-carotene and certain carotenoids (plant pigments) are among a handful of nutrients linked to good eye health.
Let’s take a closer look at healthy nutrients for some key insights, especially those found in abundance in vegetables, fruits, and other plant-based foods.
Vitamin C
A water-soluble vitamin and powerful antioxidant, vitamin C helps keep eyes young and healthy by protecting parts of the eye from damage caused by ultraviolet light. Antioxidants are substances that help protect cells from the natural but harmful effects of oxidation.
“Vitamin C can prevent or delay the development of cataracts,” says Barbara Goleman, MS, RD, functional foods and phytochemicals expert and co-author of “The Phytopia Cookbook: A World of Plant-Centered Cousins.” may help, but studies have not yet confirmed this.” Cataracts, clouding of all or part of the lens of the eye, cause blurred or dim vision and abnormal sensitivity to light.
Think of vitamin C as an anti-aging agent for your eyes, the way anti-aging is for your car or anti-wrinkle cream for your skin. Thanks to OJ’s popularity, most Americans meet their minimum vitamin C requirements, which are 75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men.
But studies show that we may need 300 mg, possibly more, for a cataract-preventive effect. Apart from lemons, where does vitamin C come from? Go for guava, red bell pepper, papaya, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, mango, strawberry, raspberry and pineapple.
Vitamin E
This fat-soluble vitamin and powerful antioxidant can help prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common age-related eye disease. AMD affects vision by affecting the macula, a small area in the center of the retina where vision is sharpest. Blurred vision is often the first symptom of this leading cause of irreversible blindness in people over age 65.
Abundant in the food supply, vitamin E is particularly high in vegetable oils. This is a good reason why we don’t want to overdo our “fat-free” foods. Some of the best sources of vitamin E are: wheat germ oil, sunflower seed kernels, sunflower oil, hazelnuts, almonds, cottonseed oil, wheat germ, papaya, fortified cereals and peanut butter.
Zinc
This trace mineral may have a protective effect on the development of some forms of early AMD. Because zinc is highly concentrated in the eye, Dr. Abel says zinc is “very important for the retina,” the back part of the eye that senses light.
Zinc appears to decrease as we age – when our eyes need it most. To make sure you’re getting enough zinc, enjoy wheat germ, garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, sunflower seeds, almonds, tofu, brown rice, milk, beef and chicken.
Beta-carotene
A carotenoid and antioxidant, beta-carotene helps maintain night vision and good vision. It may play a small role in the prevention of cataracts. Fortunately, beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body, is easily obtained through the diet. “Beta-carotene supplements are not recommended,” advises Goleman.
Don’t worry about eating too much beta-carotene. Your skin may temporarily turn an unusual shade of orange, but this is harmless. For a beta-carotene boost, choose apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, collard greens, beet greens, turnip greens, kale, spinach, papaya, red bell peppers, cantaloupe, winter squash and romaine lettuce.
Carotenoids are antioxidants that are plant pigments. This category is considered by many eye care and nutrition experts to be the most promising in eye protective nutrition. More than 600 carotenoids are known, although only a handful are found in food and even fewer in the human body. Alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin are all found in the body, but only lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the eye.
In particular, these two carotenoids help maintain the health of the retina and macula, possibly “protecting against AMD,” says Goleman. Carotenoids give foods their rich colors. They give spinach, kale and broccoli their delicious orange-yellow color. Huh?
In fact, the carotene in their leaves has been converted to a dark green color by the chlorophyll. Carotenoids make tomatoes ruby red, watermelons bright pink, and sweet potatoes deep orange.
So, make your plate “color” happy – it will make your eyes healthy!