Feeding Your Eyes Ten Foods For Keeping Vision Sharp

Feeding Your Eyes Ten Foods For Keeping Vision Sharp

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t would be great if your eyes stayed healthy no matter what you ate, but French fries, donuts and soda pop dont have any of the nutrients that your eyes need. Building and maintaining excellent vision isnt something that just happens. You have to make a conscious effort to include certain foods in your daily diet.
Even if you believe that there is nothing that needs to be done to help your vision, eating nutritious foods is going to benefit the rest of your body. The truth is, of course, that your eyes are very complex organs that need a daily dose of vitamins and minerals to function properly.
Adding a few eye-healthy foods to your diet is really not a difficult thing to do. All of the foods that are listed in the next few paragraphs are delicious and easy to find at your local grocery store. By adding these foods to your diet, you should see improvements in your eye health, which is all the motivation that you should really need. So heres a list of ten different foods that will help protect one of your most precious assets: your sight.
1.Apricots
Apricots are great for your eyes because they are rich in both beta-carotene and lycopenetwo phytochemicals that research tells us promote good vision. Beta-carotene is changed by your body into vitamin Aan important antioxidant when it comes to eye health. Vitamin A can help resist oxidative stress damage to the lenses of your eyes, helping prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.
2.Collard Greens
Like all leafy green vegetables, collards are high in a carotenoid called lutein. Eating foods that are rich in carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, is associated with a reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.
3.Zucchini
Zucchini is another food that is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin help your eyes by protecting the central retina (also known as the macula) from blue and ultraviolet light. Consumption of zeaxanthin, with lutein, has been found in studies to reduce the chances of developing cataracts.
4.Broccoli
Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have been found to protect the retinas from damaging free radicals. There is a compound in broccoli called sulphoraphane that studies have shown naturally boosts your bodys defense system against free radicals.
5.Eggs
Eggs are high in both cysteine and sulfur. These two substances are components of glutathionea protein that acts as an antioxidant for the lenses of your eyes. Sulfur-containing compounds have been found in studies to protect against cataract formation. Egg yolks also contain lutein, and diets that are high in lutein lead to s reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.
6.Garlic & Onions
Garlic and onions both contain lots of sulfur. Like eggs, the sulfurs in garlic and onions are important for the production of glutathione. Boosting glutathione levels could be a significant factor in both the prevention and the resolution of visual problems like macular degeneration, glaucoma or cataracts.
7.Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain two eye-healthy nutrients called lycopene and lutein. Both of these phytochemicals are carotenoids. You may have heard about lycopenes abilities when it comes to cancer protection, but its antioxidant capabilities could also help protect your eyes from sun damage.
8.Carrots
The saying that carrots are good for the eyes is not just an old wives tale. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin Aa necessary nutrient for vision. Carrots are also rich in lycopenea phytonutrient with antioxidant-protective power against UVB radiation. Carrots also contain luteina protective phytonutrient that is found in high concentrations in the macula, which protects it from free-radical damage.
9.Blueberries
Eating blueberries may help reduce the amount of eye fatigue that you experience. Blueberries contain the eye-healthy carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. Blueberries also contain anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are eye-nourishing phytonutrients that have been shown to improve night vision. They also contain the flavonoids rutin, resveratrol and quercitin, which may help prevent the onset of macular degeneration. Last but not least, blueberries contain both selenium and zinctwo minerals that are necessary for proper vision.
10.Fatty Fish
Youll want to add some cold-water fish to your diet, too. Salmon, tuna, cod, haddock and sardines are all rich in healthy omega-3 oils. Fish are especially high in two substances called EPA and DHA. These two omega-3 fats are important for cellular health. In fact, DHA makes up 30% of the fatty acids that are found in your retinas.


E-Bonus
Two Berries That Protect Your Brain
Blackcurrants are high in vitamin C and gamma-lineolic acid (GLA) (a rare fatty acid that is difficult to find in foods). The GLA is found in the seeds. Concentrated blackcurrant is an effective monamine oxidase inhibitor. Dont worry about the name; the important thing to know is that concentrated blackcurrant can act as a natural anti-depressant. Researchers have found that these berries protect brain cells against stressspecifically, the kind that causes Alzheimers disease. Blackcurrants may be able to prevent or delay the onset of this devastating disease.
Not many people include boysenberries in their weekly diets. Like blackcurrants, boysenberries are not readily available, but they are also excellent sources of anthocyanins and polyphenols. Scientists and nutritionists have found that the darker the berry, the more potent these compounds tend to be. Polyphenols have been found in studies to protect the brain from damage.

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