Feast for your eyes
Food that can improve your eye health
We’ve all heard that carrots can improve your vision, but is that the only food that you can feast upon to help your bothersome eyesight? It’s a complicated answer but in short, no food can reshape your eye and totally fix your eyesight. Luckily, we’ve always got your back, no matter the prescription.
Food might not be able to change your prescription, but there are certainly some extra eye-catching benefits that can improve your overall eye health.
Vitamins A, C, & E
Certain foods rich in vitamin A, C, or E all have shown to impact your eyes positively. Vitamin A could help produce a protein called rhodopsin which aids the retina when absorbing light. Vitamin C has proven essential in preventing cataracts, and vitamin E can prevent free radicals which damage healthy tissue.
Sources of vitamin A
- Carrots
- Sweet potato
- Winter squash
- Kale
- Cantaloupe
- Apricots
- Butternut squash
- Romaine lettuce
- Sweet peas
Sources of vitamin C
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Grapefruits
- Limes
- Guava
- Kiwi
- Peppers
- Papaya
- Broccoli
- Kale
Sources of vitamin E
- Wheat germ oil
- Sunflower oil
- Sunflower seeds
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Spinach
- Pumpkin
- Red bell pepper
- Asparagus
- Mango
- Avocado
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Some other great nutrients for your eye health are omega-3 fatty acids. These oils are found in multiple foods that might already be part of your regular diet. They’ve been shown to reduce macular degeneration (aging eyes), increase fluid production, and reduce your risk for high eye pressure and glaucoma.
Sources of omega-3 fatty acids
- Mackarel
- Salmon
- Cod liver oil
- Herring
- Oysters
- Sardines
- Anchovies
- Caviar
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Walnuts
- Soybeans
Phytonutrients
Two super-powered phytonutrients, also called carotenoids, are lutein and zeaxanthin. They have been proven to improve the defenses of your eye and aid overall eye health. Both phytonutrients are responsible for protecting the macula, which is the part of the eye that lets you process sharp, clear, and straight-ahead vision.
Sources of lutein and zeaxanthin
- Green peas
- Summer squash
- Pumpkin
- Brussel sprouts
- Broccoli
- Sweet potato
- Cantaloupe
- Corn
- Carrots
- Eggs
- Pistachios
Zinc
Last, but certainly not least, we have zinc. An essential mineral that helps your body do many wonderful things. Among those, zinc helps vitamin A travel through your body and be delivered to your retina. Once vitamin A is delivered, the retina will begin producing melanin, to act as a protective pigment for your eyes. It isn’t known as the “helper molecule” for nothing.
- Sources of zinc
- Red meat
- Shellfish
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Hemp seeds
- Cashews
- Milk
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Potatoes
- Dark chocolate