The eyes are the windows to the soul.
Our gateway to the world.
But we often take them for granted.
Hey there viewers and welcome back to Bestie!
With the increased use of computer screens and everyday pollution, eye problems have
become quite common.
Of course there’s other reasons, too, like aging, eye strain, or just an unhealthy lifestyle.
But these problems can be prevented by eating certain foods that are rich in eye boosting
nutrients.
You probably may have heard of carrots and leafy greens being great for the eyes, but
there are numerous other foods that can improve your vision.
And in today’s video, we will tell you what they are.
From eggs, kale, oranges, tomatoes to almonds and more, watch till the end to learn about
all of them.
Blueberries: These blue hued gems are rich in potent antioxidants that cushion collagen
structure in the retina and provide extra vision protection.
They also may improve vision in people with normal tension glaucoma, a form of the disease
that damages the optic nerve.
If you spend a lot of time in the sun, these antioxidants can protect your retina against
damage from UV light exposure.
You’ll also get them from other purple, blue and dark red foods like red or purple
grapes, blackberries, pomegranates and cranberries.
Which is your favourite way to add berries to your diet?
In salads?
Smoothies?
Or something else?
Let us know in the comments section below.
Beef: Meat, including chicken, pork, and beef, contain zinc that helps maintain eye health.
Beef is one of the richest zinc sources that delay age-related vision loss and macular
degeneration.
Your eye also contains high levels of zinc in the retina and vascular tissue surrounding
the retina.
Including zinc in your diet, especially meat or beef, will help strengthen vascular tissue
and improve your eye’s health.
Grapes: Recent research has suggested that grapes can help ward off cataracts.
Cataracts are one of the most common age-related eye changes you can go through.
Around 18 million people undergo cataract treatment globally each year.
A cataract occurs when the natural lens inside the eye becomes cloudy which leads to impaired
vision.
It can be corrected by removing the lens and replacing it with an artificial one.
Grapes contain antioxidants which are suspected to prevent the initial clumping of protein
in the lens.
This has been determined by comparing ageing populations in different countries and observing
the differences in their diets.
Fish: Fish contain omega-3s, which are proven to help protect your eyes from age-related
macular degeneration and glaucoma.
You might want to try particularly oily fish like tuna, salmon and trout as these fatty
acids can help dry eye symptoms, and sometimes even reverse the effects.
Studies have shown that by eating dark meat fish 2-3 times a week, you lower your chances
of developing AMD.
Carrots: It might be something that your parents drummed into you from a young age, but turns
out that carrots are actually really good for your eyes.
They contain beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. This helps with the
production of rod and cone cells in your eyes.
This is good for your sight in low lighting, and also reduces your risk for AMD, cataracts
and glaucoma.
There’s some truth in that old wives’ tale after all.
Dairy: Dairy products such as milk and yogurt can be good for the eyes.
They contain vitamin A as well as the mineral zinc.
Vitamin A protects the cornea while zinc helps bring that vitamin to the eyes from the liver.
Zinc is found throughout the eye, especially the retina and , which is the vascular tissue
that lies under the retina.
This important mineral helps with night vision as well as the prevention of cataracts.
Dairy from grass-fed cows provides the most benefits.
You can have dairy throughout the day.
Drink milk with a meal or enjoy it in coffee and tea, or breakfast cereal.
Yogurt is a healthy option for breakfast or as a snack.
Oysters: Shellfish like oysters are among the best sources of the mineral zinc, which
protects the eyes against the damaging effects of sunlight.
In high doses, zinc also appears to slow the progression of macular degeneration once you
have early stages of the disease.
But you don’t need more than the recommended dose — 8 milligrams a day for women and
11 milligrams a day for men.
Oysters deliver more of the mineral than any other food, but you can get plenty of zinc
from lean red meat, poultry, beans, legumes and fortified cereals.
Almonds: Almonds are great sources of vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects the eyes from
free-radical damage.
Research has also found that people who have relatively high vitamin E have a 20 percent
lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.
The recommended daily intake of this antioxidant is 15 milligrams, the amount in about 2 ounces
of almonds.
Other good sources of vitamin E include sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, vegetable oils, peanuts
and of course, peanut butter.
Kale: Kale, spinach and other dark leafy greens like collard greens and turnip greens are
packed with lutein and zeaxanthin - antioxidants that are stored in the eye’s macula.
This helps shield the eye from damaging light.
Lutein is especially good at filtering out blue light, which is the kind that glares
from the screens of digital devices.
These antioxidants also appear to help promote rich blood flow to your eyes.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are fat soluble, so drizzle on olive oil for maximum absorption
— and deliciousness.
Sweet Potatoes: Beta-carotene gives these tubers their orange color.
Your body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, a nutrient that helps prevent dry eyes
and night blindness.
Sweet potatoes not your favorite?
For beta-carotene, try other deep orange foods, such as butternut squash, or dark green foods
including spinach and collard greens.
Liver, milk and eggs are also sources of vitamin A.
And, similar to lutein and zeaxanthin, beta-carotene
and vitamin A are absorbed best when eaten
with a little healthy fat such as olive oil.
Eggs: Eggs are great to eat for eye health.
The yolks contain vitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin, and zinc, which are all vital to eye health.
Vitamin A safeguards the cornea, or the surface of the eye.
Lutein and zeaxanthin lower the chance of serious eye conditions like age-related macular
degeneration and cataracts.
Zinc contributes to the health of the retina which is the back of the eye.
Zinc also helps you see at night.
Eggs are extremely versatile and can work for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
A simple way to enjoy them is by hard-boiling them.
Try them in salads and sandwiches.
You can even eat a hardboiled egg on it’s own for a snack.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy eggs, apart from just boiling them.
Learn more of what we are talking about by watching this video titled “6 Healthy Ways
For You To Cook Eggs”
Now back to the best foods to keep your eyes healthy.
Oranges: Oranges are one of the best sources of Vitamin C. Some suggest calling it “Vitamin
See”, and quite rightly so.
It helps counter the risks of cataracts and macular degeneration, because much like other
antioxidants, it is good at preventing free-radical
damage.
Collagen building is another way it is beneficial for your eyes, providing padding for your
cornea.
Dark Chocolate: Here’s a guilt-free reason to indulge in a chunk of dark chocolate today.
A study found that adults who ate a bar of dark chocolate could literally see better,
with greater improvements in visual clarity and contrast sensitivity.
Even if your chocolate bar doesn’t sharpen your vision, the flavonoids found in dark
chocolate may help improve vision in people with glaucoma and reduce the risk of macular
degeneration.
But eat it in moderation, or you’ll have other health issues to worry about.
Bell Peppers: Raw, colorful, bell peppers are packed with vitamins A and C, which provides
your entire body, especially your eyes, with the nutrients it needs to function properly.
They actually contain the highest amount of vitamin C per calorie, so they’re a great
option if you’re trying to cut down on your calorie count.
Bell peppers additionally contain lutein and zeaxanthin, the two important carotenoids
responsible for keeping your eyes healthy and happy.
The vitamins found in uncooked bell peppers
also help prevent age-related macular degeneration,
which is the most common vision complication in people over the age of 50.
If you are looking to add bell peppers to your diet- but you don’t enjoy eating them
plain- try chopping them up and adding them to your salads.
Just remember, the process of cooking bell peppers breaks down the vitamins inside, so
try to eat them raw as often as you can.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes contain a quadruple whammy of nutrients that protect eye health.
Lycopene, which is part of the carotenoid family, as well as the antioxidants lutein,
zeaxanthin and beta-carotene.
The antioxidants can help against light-induced damage and the development of cataracts.
And lycopene may play a role in preventing age-related macular degeneration.
One study found that people with higher blood
levels of lycopene and zeaxanthin have a significantly
lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.
Other good sources of lycopene include watermelon, pink grapefruit, papaya and dried apricots.
Apart from eating the right foods, there are other ways as well to keep your eyes healthy.
Learn more about these by:
Finding Out Natural Ways To Improve Your Eyesight Without Glasses
Or
Understanding Easy Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Under Eye Bags
These 2 videos will definitely help you take care of your precious eyes.
So go ahead and pick one, or watch both of them for maximum benefits.
Do you already eat some of the foods on this list?
Let us know in the comments section below!