Word of mouth has made common knowledge of carrots being a huge player in the health of your eyes. But it is rarely mentioned what foods can be eaten with them, or in place of them, to have the same effect on health. Exactly what other foods are good for the eyes and help reduce the risk of ocular diseases?
The eyes are just like the rest of the human body and are kept in their best shape simply by doing what you should already be doing to take care of yourself. A person who takes care to manage a healthy heart by keeping blood pressure in check as well as keeping low cholesterol in the body is well on their way to healthy eyes. Lowering the amount of saturated fats eaten in the diet, keeping a grip on the weight of the body, and keeping a constant intake of antioxidants into the body are all huge steps in the right direction for healthy eyes. The first steps a person can take to do this are simply: Eat nutritious, vitamin rich foods. These are the foods that keep the body at its best, and will be do the same to keep the eyes healthy and disease free.
The Foods
Carrots
Starting with the most known eye food makes the most sense. Carrots sail high on the charts by having a huge storage of delectable disease destroying Vitamin A. Vitamin A is to the go-to vitamin to help prevent night blindness in a person is the all-around essential choice to maintain retinal health.
Vitamin A also helps prevent macular degeneration as well as lowers the risk of a person developing cataracts. Other orange foods have a similar effect to carrots as they will be providing the same vitamin A. Foods such as mangos, cantaloupe, apricots, and sweet potatoes are all alternatives to carrots.
Kale
Green leafy vegetables like kale, Swiss chard, and spinach provide a beneficial pair of carotenoids. Leafy green vegetables contain the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein, which help lower the risk of macular degeneration due to age-related causes. These foods basically provide such a wealth of antioxidants to the body it is like eating a pair of natural sunglasses to protect the eyes. Antioxidants also help strengthen the cells to prevent damage and offer protection against harmful UV radiation.
Berries
Berries play a huge role as the top source of antioxidants, but also help the health of the body by lowering the risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and various cardiovascular diseases. Berries play a similar role to the leafy green food as they contain a large amount of antioxidants to help with the macular degeneration, cataracts, and various other ocular diseases. There are various berries to consume to get this benefit, including raspberries, blueberries, and the favorite of many people: strawberries. Berries are perfect for a small, simple snack or a salad topper, so find a reason to include them in your next meal for the good of your eyes.
These are just three of the many foods that can be eaten to strengthen and maintain eye health. As always, eating well and taking care of your body will work wonders for them as well. Happy eating and good health.
