Foods That Might Help Your Eyesight

It?s a well-known fact that carrots are good for your eyesight, but did you know there are several nutrients that can keep your eyes healthy throughout your life? A healthy diet may help reduce the risk of vision issues like cataracts, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration and diabetic retinaopathy and help promote good eye health from as early as infancy. Why is this important? Over 21 million Americans suffer from vision trouble and the number of Americans with eye health problems is expected to double in the next 30 years. So what foods should you include in your diet to protect your vision??

Here?s the low-down:

Keep eating carrots: the beta-carotene found in carrots turns into vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A helps you focus better in low light. In addition to carrots, good sources of beta-carotene and vitamin A include fortified milk, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and spinach.

Vitamin C does more than boost your immune system: Vitamins C and E can help to prevent cataracts and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Vitamin C is found in oranges, strawberries, broccoli and peppers, while vitamin E can be obtained by eating wheat germ, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are two important antioxidants essential for eye health:? These nutrients are vital in filtering out harmful high-energy wavelengths of light and reducing sensitivity to glare, which aids in night driving. Along with vitamins C and E, they also help prevent cataracts and age-related macular generation. The diets of many Americans are low in lutein and zeaxanthin and we can only get these nutrients from our diet. The most concentrated sources of these critical antioxidants are cooked kale, spinach, collard greens and turnip greens. Some other dietary sources include corn, green beans, zucchini and egg yolks.? Lutein and zeaxanthin are important for eye development. Lutein is one of the reasons colostrum (first milk expressed during breastfeeding) is yellow. It?s important for breastfeeding moms to eat lutein-rich foods or if you are not breastfeeding, use a formula like Similac that provides lutein.? Introducing green vegetables and eggs to children is a great way to ensure they are not deficient in these nutrients.

Click here for more information on foods for sight from Food Network.

More from Food Network:

What foods do you include in your nutrition to protect your vision?

Source: http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=food_for_sight

wisconsin primary dallas fort worth airport texas tornados seattle seahawks new uniforms wisconsin recall wisconsin recall doris day