What To Eat For Good Eyesight?

According to a study, only 27% of men and 19% of women consume fruits and vegetables 5 times a day, as recommended by nutritionists.

It is known that we need these foods - for heart health, for cancer prevention and more. conditions. We can certainly add eye health to this list - something that is often taken for granted, especially at a young age.

There are certain nutrients in fruits and vegetables that are extremely good for eyesight. Let's see who they are.

1. Vitamin C.

Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin and effective antioxidant, protects some parts of the eye from damage caused by ultraviolet rays.

Regular intake of vitamin C helps prevent cataracts or slow the progression of the disease, studies show. Cataracts cause clouding of all or part of the lens of the eye, cause blurred or pale vision and unusual sensitivity to light.

Vitamin C is found in abundance in citrus fruits. Other good sources of the vitamin are guava, red peppers, papaya, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, mango, strawberries, raspberries and pineapple.

2. Vitamin E.

Vitamin E also has antioxidant properties and helps prevent not only cataracts, but also age- related macular degeneration - a common eye disease. It impairs vision by affecting the macula, which is located in the center of the retina, where vision is most pronounced. Blurred vision is often the first symptom of the disease, which is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in people over 65 years of age.

Vitamin E has a particularly high content of vegetable oils. Some of the best sources of the vitamin are wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, nuts, sunflower oil, hazelnuts, almonds, wheat germ, papaya, cereals, peanut butter and more.

3. Zinc

According to research, the mineral may have a protective effect on the development of some forms of age-related initial macular degeneration. Zinc is very valuable for the retina, says Prof. Dr. Robert Abel, a professor of ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University.

Zinc is found in wheat germ, beans, peas, sunflower seeds, almonds, tofu, brown rice, milk, beef and chicken.

4. Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is useful for night vision and generally for maintaining good vision . Scientists believe it plays a role in preventing cataracts. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body and we can easily get it through food.

To do this, eat apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, cabbage, beets, turnips, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, papaya, red pepper, melon, pumpkin and lettuce.

Carotenoids are plant pigments that are considered by many experts to be one of the most beneficial nutrients for eye health. More than 600 carotenoids are known, but only a small fraction of them are found in food. Alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin are found in our body, but only lutein and zeaxanthin in the eyes.

In particular, these two carotenoids help maintain retinal and macular health, explains Dr. Barbara Gollman, an expert in functional foods and phytochemicals.