A balanced, healthy diet is essential for keeping your eyes healthy and can decrease the likelihood of developing eye problems. The risk of developing serious eye problems can be prevented if you eat food items that have a wide range of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, also known as antioxidants. This world sight day, we bring to you the list of foods that are great for eye health as suggested by Dr. Karuna Chaturvedi, Head of the department-Dietetics, Jaypee Hospital, Noida. You must add these to your plate to improve your eyesight gradually.
Not just eyesight but you can also combat different eye diseases with nutrition. Eye diseases that you might be able prevent by eating the right diet, include:
- cataracts that cause blurred vision
- macular degeneration that is a result of age, and can affect your vision
- glaucoma
- dry eyes
- poor night vision
Foods for Eyesight
Here are some foods that are good for your eyes. You must include at least one of these food groups daily to keep your eyes healthy.
Vitamin A
Fruits and vegetables with orange-colored hues that contain Vitamin A. Perhaps, the most well-known eye-healthy vitamin is vitamin A. the retina requires lots of vitamin A in order to transform light rays into images that we see. Additionally, without enough vitamin A, eyes will not be sufficiently moist to prevent dry eyes. Carrots are an all-time popular food source for vitamin A. You can have carrot juice daily. But sweet potatoes are a great source of more than 200 percent of your daily dose of Vitamin A. The fruits, such as the apricots and cantaloupes are a good food sources for vitamin A.
Antioxidants
Eyes require many kinds of antioxidants to keep them healthy. Antioxidants fight off harmful oxidants that can impact the health of the eyes in detrimental ways. Antioxidants can help prevent or delay the onset of age-related macular deterioration (AMD) as well as cataracts.
Vitamin C-rich foods
Fruits and veggies that are high of Vitamin C: Vitamin C is important to the health of eyes. Being an antioxidant vitamin, Vitamin C is able to safeguard the body from damage due to certain foods we consume, unhealthy habits and environmental triggers. Smoke from cigarettes, fried foods and sun's rays generate free radicals, molecules that could harm and kill cells. Vitamin C assists in the repair and creates new cells in the body. Rich source of vitamin C. are citrus fruits including tangerines, oranges and grapefruits, as well as lemons. A variety of other foods provide vitamin C, such as peaches and red bell peppers.
Also Read: 9 Foods That Have More Vitamin C and Antioxidants Than Orange
Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids
Diets high with omega-3 fats found in cold-water fish can help lower the chance of developing eye diseases at a later time, according to research. These include tuna, salmon the sardines, halibut and trout. Omega-3's can help tear function, and eating fish could help people suffering from dry eye.
Greens that are high in zeaxanthin and lutein
These antioxidants can be found in the colorants of leafy green vegetables as well as other foods that are brightly colored. They are essential to protect the macula, the region of the eye which gives us our central, the clearest vision. Kale and spinach are full of these essential nutrients. Other foods that contain significant amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein include collards, romaine with turnip-like greens, broccoli, and peas. While they aren't leafy or green, eggs can be a source of these nutrients.
Zinc
The mineral zinc can help keep your retina healthy and can shield your eyes from the harmful impacts of the sun's light. However, zinc can reduce amounts of copper present in the body, which we require to form red blood cells. However, it is possible to boost both in one go with any kind of bean (legumes) that include kidney beans, black-eyed peas and the lima beans. Other zinc-rich foods include oysters and lean red meats, poultry, and cereals that are fortified.
Also Read: 10 Foods That Are Rich In Zinc And A Must-Have During Pandemic
Milk Products
They not only includes Vitamin A but they also contain Zinc. So, including foods such as yogurt and milk is essential to maintain good eyesight. Zinc assists Vitamin A produce melanin, a pigment that protects the cornea. It aids in the transfer of Vitamin through the liver and into the eye. Insufficient Zinc causes problems in nighttime vision. You can consume dairy products in various ways throughout the day, such as in the shape of a cup of tea, coffee glasses of yogurt, milk or cereals.
Apat from these, Vitamin E is also essential. A different important antioxidant is vitamin E which is essential to ensure that cells are healthy. Vitamin E is available in almonds, avocados, along with sunflower seeds. You must have all the foods mentioned in this article daily if you don’t want to lose your eyesight to age.
Images credits- freepik
