You have probably already been told that you should eat carrots if you want healthy eyes. And while the old adage is somewhat true because beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in carrots, a vitamin that is needed for optimal eye health, there are other and maybe even better foods to eat. Here are some of these foods:
1. Spinach
Spinach and other green leafy vegetables like cabbage contain two antioxidants that are stored in the macula. This is the part of the retina that protects the eyes from harmful light. These antioxidants are lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein is a deep yellow pigment found in the leaves of plants, and zeaxanthin is a carotenoid found in the retina of the eye and in many plants like spinach.
And since the eye has a particularly high metabolic rate because it uses a lot of energy, there is an additional need for antioxidant protection.
2. Red Peppers
Red peppers aren’t just a vegetable that can make your throat burn, make your nose run, and fill your eyes with water (although what really makes you cry) might be good. Red peppers contain vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin and a powerful antioxidant.
Not only does vitamin C prevent colds, it also helps the body build and maintain connective tissue, including collagen in the cornea of the eye. Vitamin C also helps keep blood vessels healthy, including the sensitive capillaries of the retina.
3. Almonds
If you look at a list of healthy foods, you’ll likely find almonds and other nuts. This is because they are filled with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, potassium, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium and their B vitamins. All of these things contribute to the overall health of your body.
But let’s talk about almonds. Vitamin E contains vitamin E and is a powerful antioxidant that protects our eyes from free radicals that can break down healthy tissue. Vitamin E has also been found to prevent macular degeneration and age-related cataracts.
4. Fish
Well, we’ve talked a lot about vitamin plants, especially A, C, and E, which are necessary for healthy eyesight. However, what happens to these vitamins is that without fat they are essentially useless to get them where they need to go. They are called fat-soluble vitamins.
An excellent way to get this important fat is fish, especially fresh salmon and tuna. These fish are meaty and full of omega-3 fatty acids that help keep your blood vessels healthy and strong. These fatty acids support intraocular fluid flow through the pupil and play a key role in preventing dry eye syndrome and glaucoma.
5. Eggs
Eggs are another great food that contains almost everything you need. A hard-boiled egg contains potassium, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, calcium and magnesium, which are excellent for strong, healthy eyes.
However, there are two things that make eggs healthy eye nutrition: lutein and zeaxanthin. Yes, just like spinach, eggs contain this powerful antioxidant (lutein), which is responsible for the yellow color in the egg yolk, which helps fight macular degeneration. And as we learned earlier
Zeaxanthin can protect the eyes from damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
However, keep in mind that these powerful protectors are only contained in the egg yolk. So save the yellow stuff if you want to see all the pretty colors this world has to offer.
