Eating a nutritious diet is essential for maintaining overall health, and that includes eye health and vision. Eating certain foods can provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals that help protect and strengthen your eyesight. From dark leafy greens to brightly colored fruits and veggies, there are plenty of delicious and healthy options available to improve your eyesight. Here are six foods you should Foods You Should Eat For Optimal Eye Health and Vision.
1) Leafy Greens
One of the best foods you can eat for eye health is leafy greens. These vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are beneficial to your eyes. Spinach, broccoli, and kale are some of the most popular leafy greens, and they’re also easy to incorporate into your diet. You can make salads with these greens,
put them in sandwiches, or steam them and serve them with a side of rice. Eating leafy greens provides your eyes with ample amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, two compounds that help protect against eye disease and degeneration. Eating at least one serving of these greens every day can significantly reduce your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
2) Carrots
Carrots are another nutritious vegetable that’s great for your eyes. These root vegetables contain carotenoids, anti-oxidants that help reduce the risk of developing degenerative eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Research has shown that eating five to six servings of carrots per week can significantly reduce the risk of developing these diseases by as much as 42%. You can enjoy carrots raw, roasted, or in soups.
You can also make a tasty side dish by grilling them or roasting them in the oven. A word of caution, though, as you don’t want to go overboard with carrots, as they can increase your risk of developing hypercarotenemia, a condition that results in the storage of too much carotenoid in your body’s tissues. This can lead to an orange discoloration of your skin, eyelids, and lips, and liver abnormalities. Be sure to eat just one or two carrots per day for eye health.
3) Citrus Fruits
Oranges, tangerines, and other citrus fruits are high in antioxidants and vitamin C, nutrients that protect your eyes from damage caused by oxidative stress. Additionally, the lutein found in oranges can help reduce your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. You can enjoy fresh citrus on its own or in a delicious salad. You can also add it to oatmeal or yogurt to make a healthy breakfast even healthier.
If you don’t like eating citrus fruits by themselves, you can get the same eye-protecting benefits by drinking freshly squeezed orange juice. Just make sure to choose 100% orange juice to avoid unwanted added sugars. You can also choose a naturally sweetened brand, such as Simply Orange, which contains no added sugar.
4) Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are packed with nutrients essential for eye health, such as magnesium and vitamin E. These nutrients can help prevent oxidative stress and improve blood flow to the eyes. They’re also high in protein, making them a great snack for anyone looking to improve their eyesight. You can enjoy nuts and seeds raw, roasted, or with a side of yogurt. You can also make them into a delicious trail mix by mixing them together with dried fruits.
To get the most out of your nuts and seeds, choose organic options that are low in sodium. There are many types of nuts and seeds. Some of the best include almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. You can’t go wrong with a nutritious mix of these nuts and seeds. Just remember that they’re high in calories and easy to overeat, so consume them in moderation.
5) Fish
Eating fish is a great way to protect against oxidative damage and improve blood flow to the eyes. Fish such as salmon, cod, and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help prevent eye disorders such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. While it’s best to eat fish twice a week for optimal health, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) recommends that pregnant women eat fish three times per week to reduce the risk of their child being born with an eye or neurological defect.
The EWG notes that pregnant women should avoid eating swordfish and shark, which contain high levels of mercury, a toxic metal that can negatively affect fetal development. You can also choose salmon and cod, which have less mercury than swordfish and shark. Other fish that are safe to eat include herring, lake trout, sardines, and trout.
6) Eggs
Eggs are another good source of omega-3 fatty acids, the nutrients that protect against eye disorders. You should eat one to two eggs per week to get the full benefits of their fatty acids. You can enjoy eggs in omelettes, scrambled, or hard-boiled. If you’re following a low-carb diet, you can make a few tweaks to enjoy a low-carb omelette or scrambled eggs. You can also put eggs in a tasty oatmeal or put them in a warm pancake. Just remember to keep an eye on the amount of cholesterol in your diet.
While eggs do provide your body with essential nutrients, they also contain high amounts of cholesterol, which can increase your risk of heart disease. If you’re concerned about your cholesterol levels, you can make a few tweaks to enjoy eggs with less cholesterol, such as substituting the yolk with egg whites.
Also Read- 10 Foods That Are Beneficial for Eye Health
Conclusion
Eating a nutritious diet is essential for maintaining overall health. There are six foods you should be eating to keep your eyes healthy and your vision sharp. These include dark leafy greens, carrots, citrus fruits, nuts and seeds, fish, and eggs. These foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that protect your eyes from damage caused by oxidative stress and improve blood flow to the eyes.