As we have discussed in an earlier blog, there are specific nutrients that are vital in eye health. While you are trying to stay healthy this year, it is important to also eat the right food to keep your eyes healthy. Here are the top 10 best foods to eat for eye health.
Fish
Cold water fish, such as salmon, tuna and even sardines are known to be great for eye health. These fish contain an abundance of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 helps with your eye health because it helps protect your eyes from dry eyes, macular degeneration and even cataracts. Omega 3 is known for helping your tear ducts which is why many people with dry eyes rely on adding fish in their diet. Having a serving of two to three per week is recommended for best results.
Eggs
There is a reason that the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is around. But little did you know, that eggs actually are high in nutrients that help with eye health. Eggs are a great source for not one but three main contributors to eye health. First, lutein, which is known to help eyes by protecting them from bright light/sun damage. According to Active Beat, if you’re looking for more lutein in your eggs, apparently Eggland’s Best eggs contain 38-percent more of this than “regular” eggs. Eggs also contain Vitamin E, which can help prevent cataracts from forming in your eye. Finally eggs, like fish, have Omega 3 which helps protect from dry eyes.
Corn
Corn is a versatile dish that is great for your eye health. Adding corn into your meals could mean great health for your eyes. Corn can be added into chilli, soup, and more to create a wider variety of corn in your diet. Corn contains lutein and zeaxanthin. As you read from eggs, lutein can prevent and even help treat cataracts. Zeaxanthin is similar to lutein and protects eyes from light and sun damage. Zeaxanthin is great paired with lutein to further eye protection. Corn is also known to have higher values of lutein the longer it is cooked, so be sure to let the corn cook longer to get the most lutein for your eyes.
Kale
There is no wonder that kale has been all the health craze recently but not only does kale have cancer fighting antioxidants but it’s rich, dark green green has more eye health benefits than your average food. Extremely rich in lutein and zeaxanthin kale contains 23.8-mg in only one cup. Not only are kales lutein and zeaxanthin, it is also full of nitrates. In a study done by UCLA, they found that people who had high volumes of nitrates in their system were at a lower risk of getting glaucoma.
Blueberries
Blueberries have a reputation for being healthy for your eyes, and that is true! Blueberries, more than other berries, have high levels of Vitamin C and other antioxidants. Blueberries are famous for cancer fighting as well as help with memory, but they also help protect your eyes. In a study done by Tufts University, blueberries may be linked to helping prevent cataracts and glaucoma. Vitamin C is helpful for eye disease because it helps our bodies fight off intruders. Which can lead to the prevention of age-related macular degeneration.
Broccoli
We weren’t going to let this superfood slip off the list. Broccoli, which contains much more than just benefits for eye health, is here to stay. Broccoli has lots of fiber, vitamin C, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin and not to mention its cancer fighting abilities. Fiber is great for digestion and makes sure everything is going smoothly. However, broccoli’s a huge team player when it comes to eye health. The beta-carotene protects the surface of the eye, which leads to producing better vision. Beta-carotene works overtime and helps with dry eyes as well.
Carrots
Carrots are another one of those foods that has a reputation for being healthy for your eyes, and for good reason. Carrots not only have Vitamins A, C, and E but they also have large amounts of beta-carotene. Vitamin A and the beta-carotene work together to make sure your eyes are healthy. According to irisvision, Vitamin A plays a vital role in production of rod and cone cells, essential for low light vision and color vision. Free radical damage is also minimized by beta-carotene, which helps protect against eye diseases like macular degeneration, cataracts as well as glaucoma.
Whole grains
Whole grains can be found in oats, brown rice, quinoa and more. They serve to not only help with digestion but contain zinc and Vitamin E which have been known to work together to improve eye health. Whole grains are also known to help prevent age-related macular degeneration.
Beef
Beef contains natural and high levels of zinc, which is used to help the body absorb vitamins. Other proteins also have zinc in them but beef has the highest levels of zinc by far. The zinc in beef can benefit your eyes by reducing risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration. Also known to help vision as you get older.
Oranges
Last but not least, oranges. Oranges as we all know have high levels of Vitamin C which helps our bodies fight off anything that may be in our systems. However, Vitamin C is also extremely helpful to eye health. According to a study in Ophthalmology, adults who regularly drink orange juice and include C-rich foods in their diet are about 33 percent less likely to develop cataracts over a 10- year period.
At Medical Arts Eye Clinic and Optical we understand how important it is to keep your eyes healthy. If you need to schedule an eye exam or have any questions related to eye health feel free to contact us at 334-821-3838