Female eye

Top Five Superfoods for Healthy Eyes

Our vision is crucial to our survival. The good news is Nature has provided us with the means to support healthy vision. These superfoods have been proven to promote excellent eye health.

Blueberries are an excellent source of antioxidants and anthocyanin that have been proven in numerous studies to help prevent macular degeneration and slow the growth of cataracts in the elderly

It has been observed in subjects who included blueberries in their diet, a heightened level of protection around the retina and an improvement in night vision.

Dark leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, and chard are very high in the carotenoids that are important for the support of vision health. The two most significant of these, lutein and zeaxanthin, help to protect the retina from the harmful rays of UV light and prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.

Wild Alaskan Salmon an important source of Omega 3 fatty acids that protect the eye from macular degeneration. It has also been demonstrated in studies that dry eye syndrome was significantly reduced in those who included salmon regularly in their diet. Wild Alaskan salmon also contains a powerful antioxidant, Astaxanthin, which fights oxidative damage that can lead to macular degeneration. Astaxanthin also offers powerful protection from UVB rays.

Orange and yellow vegetables such as pumpkin, carrots, squash, peppers are high in vitamin A and function to protect the cornea of the eye. They are also an important source of a class of antioxidants called beta-carotenes that also help slow macular degeneration and improve vision health.

Egg yolks are rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin which helps protect the eyes from UV radiation. Scientist now believe that the body is more easily able to absorb lutein and zeaxanthin from eggs than from dark leafy greens.

A healthy diet is your first line of defense regarding vision health. Integrating these superfoods into your diet is a powerful step to optimal vision health!

References

  • Prophylactic neuroprotection by blueberry-enriched diet in a rat model of light-induced retinopathy. J Nutr Biochem. 2013 Apr;24(4):647-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2012.03.011. Epub 2012 Jul 23. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22832077
  • Identification of anthocyanin components of wild Chinese blueberries and amelioration of light-induced retinal damage in pigmented rabbit using whole berries. J Agric Food Chem. 2011 Jan 12;59(1):356-63. doi: 10.1021/jf103852s. Epub 2010 Dec 13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21142104
  • Omega 3 fatty acids and the eye. Insight. 2008 Oct-Dec;33(4):20-5; quiz 26-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19227095
  • Potential role of dietary n-3 fatty acids in the prevention of dementia and macular degeneration. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;83(6 Suppl):1494S-1498S. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16841859
  • The role of carotenoids in human health. Nutr Clin Care. 2002 Mar-Apr;5(2):56-65. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12134711

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