Hardly a week goes by without some new study or book touting the health benefits of various foods. So is there a healthy eye diet? Will certain foods help guard against eye disease? A growing body of evidence suggests that diet can indeed protect your eyesight.
 |
| How To Get Better Eyesight Naturally |
Results published in 2001 from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) showed the impact of dietary supplements on people at high risk of developing the advanced stages of macular degeneration. People in the study group were able to lower this risk by about 25 percent. They also lowered their risk of vision loss due to this disease by about 19 percent. Risk reduction came from a combination of vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc and copper taken in high doses. This dietary supplement did not benefit people in the early stages of macular degeneration, nor did it have an effect on the development of cataracts. Nevertheless here was positive proof of the role dietary supplements can play in preserving your eyesight.
Antioxidants
Vitamin C, vitamin E and carotenoids such as beta carotene, all used in the AREDS, are antioxidants. Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals and enzymes that help maintain healthy cells and tissues. Your body - and your eyes - use antioxidants to combat free radicals when too many are in your bloodstream. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules. Normally they perform a number of useful functions. But a surplus of free radicals can damage normal cells in a process called oxidation. Oxidation is thought to play a role in the development of cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma, as well as a host of other diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Scientists continue to look at the role that antioxidants and antioxidant supplements may play in the prevention of eye disease. Studies suggest that anthocyanin, another antioxidant, may improve night vision and slow macular degeneration. Another study found that people who regularly ate five servings or more of dark green leafy vegetables each week, foods rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, had a markedly lower risk of getting macular degeneration than did study participants who ate smaller amounts or none of these vegetables. At the same time, there's little evidence that taking lutein supplements has a similar benefit.
It will take more research to determine the full effects of antioxidants on eye disease. Reducing risk generally involves including these foods in your diet for many years. Does that mean it's too late for you to benefit from antioxidants? Absolutely not. Including more vegetables and fruits in your diet can't hurt you. And on the chance that they might be protecting your sight, enjoy some spinach or tomatoes today.
Zinc
Zinc is one of the most common trace minerals in your body and is highly concentrated in the retina, although it's not known exactly what role zinc plays in eye function. Some scientists suspect that a lack of zinc may contribute to macular degeneration. A diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables usually provides you with an adequate amount of zinc. If not, you can also take a multivitamin with zinc.
Red wine
Many people who enjoy a glass of wine have been heartened in recent years by studies proclaiming the health benefits of such a practice. For example, a 1998 study suggested that people who drink wine in moderation might be less likely to develop macular degeneration or cardiovascular disease. This benefit may stem from antioxidants found in the wine. Unfortunately the evidence is weak at best, and the conclusions are still premature.
Stick with the basics
The most eye friendly diet is simply a healthy, balanced diet. This should include 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Look for dark green, deep yellow, or orange fruits and vegetables. You have many to choose from: Swiss chard, bok choy, spinach, cantaloupe, mango, acorn or butternut squash, and sweet potatoes are some examples. Other good choices are vegetables from the cabbage family, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower.
If you eat a well-balanced diet, your body will get all of the nutrients it needs. It's fine to take a daily vitamin and mineral supplement, but remember that supplements are no substitute for eating a variety of healthy foods. Megadoses of vitamins can have dangerous side effects, so stick to the recommended daily requirement listed on the bottle.
Where to find antioxidants in your food
Vitamin E. Good sources of vitamin E include vegetable oils and products made from them. Wheat germ and nuts also contain relatively high amounts.
Vitamin C. Good sources of vitamin C include green and red peppers, collard greens, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits.
Carotenoids. Good sources of carotenoids include deep yellow, dark green and red vegetables and fruits, including carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, tomatoes, papayas, cantaloupe, mangoes, apricots and watermelon. Beta carotene is the best known carotenoid but not the only one.
 |
| How To Get Better Eyesight Naturally |
Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in dark green leafy vegetables, including spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard, watercress and parsley. Red peppers and romaine lettuce contain smaller amounts of these two carotenoids.
Anthocyanins. The antioxidant anthocyanin gives the blue color to blueberries and bilberries. To find out more, you can check out How To Get Better Eyesight Naturally.