Five Foods That Are Good For Your Eye Health

 

There are many ways to keep your eyes healthy, from getting your annual checkup to wearing sunglasses when it is bright. It can even be as simple as eating. The nutrients found in these 5 common foods can help protect your eyes and keep them healthy longer.

 

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene, an antioxidant which may help slow the progress of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Beta carotene is a provitamin and can be converted by the body into Vitamin A, which helps prevent dry eyes, eye infections, and can help improve night vision.

You can get beta carotene from deep orange foods including carrots and butternut squash. Dark, leafy greens such as collard greens also contain beta carotene. Eat with healthy fats, such as olive oil, to help the body absorb the nutrient better.

 

Salmon

Salmon and other fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient with numerous health benefits. Omega-3s, like beta carotene, may help slow AMD, since they are important to nerve cells of the retina.

If you don’t eat fish, you can get Omega-3 fatty acids from various sources, including chia and flax seeds, walnuts, avocados, and olive oil.

 

Kale

Kale contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect the eye from sun damage. Lutein and zeaxanthin are related to vitamin A and, according to Harry W. Chan, OD, these nutrients help protect the cornea, prevent cataracts, and slow AMD.

Dark, leafy greens such as spinach and collard greens are all good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin as are kiwi, honeydew, and corn. These nutrients are best absorbed with healthy fats.

 

Oranges

Just like oranges can help with colds they can help with healthy vision as well. Vitamin C can help lower your risk of cataracts and, when taken with other nutrients, can help slow AMD.

You can get Vitamin C from citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. It is also found in strawberries, bell peppers, cantaloupes, and broccoli.

 

Blackcurrants

Blackcurrants contain anthocyanosides, a compound that helps develop night vision. Anthocyanosides are an antioxidant, which are beneficial to eye health, though it is unclear how.

Anthocyanosides can be found in brightly colored berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, as well as bell peppers and grapes.

A small change now can help prevent eye problems as you get older. Including these everyday foods in your diet is a simple yet effective way to keep your eyes healthy longer.

The post Five Foods That Are Good For Your Eye Health appeared first on .

Categories: Bell Peppers, beta carotene, collard greens, eye health, eyes healthy, Healthy Fats, leafy greens, night vision, olive oil

Five Foods That Are Good For Your Eye Health

 

There are many ways to keep your eyes healthy, from getting your annual checkup to wearing sunglasses when it is bright. It can even be as simple as eating. The nutrients found in these 5 common foods can help protect your eyes and keep them healthy longer.

 

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene, an antioxidant which may help slow the progress of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Beta carotene is a provitamin and can be converted by the body into Vitamin A, which helps prevent dry eyes, eye infections, and can help improve night vision.

You can get beta carotene from deep orange foods including carrots and butternut squash. Dark, leafy greens such as collard greens also contain beta carotene. Eat with healthy fats, such as olive oil, to help the body absorb the nutrient better.

 

Salmon

Salmon and other fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient with numerous health benefits. Omega-3s, like beta carotene, may help slow AMD, since they are important to nerve cells of the retina.

If you don’t eat fish, you can get Omega-3 fatty acids from various sources, including chia and flax seeds, walnuts, avocados, and olive oil.

 

Kale

Kale contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect the eye from sun damage. Lutein and zeaxanthin are related to vitamin A and, according to Harry W. Chan, OD, these nutrients help protect the cornea, prevent cataracts, and slow AMD.

Dark, leafy greens such as spinach and collard greens are all good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin as are kiwi, honeydew, and corn. These nutrients are best absorbed with healthy fats.

 

Oranges

Just like oranges can help with colds they can help with healthy vision as well. Vitamin C can help lower your risk of cataracts and, when taken with other nutrients, can help slow AMD.

You can get Vitamin C from citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. It is also found in strawberries, bell peppers, cantaloupes, and broccoli.

 

Blackcurrants

Blackcurrants contain anthocyanosides, a compound that helps develop night vision. Anthocyanosides are an antioxidant, which are beneficial to eye health, though it is unclear how.

Anthocyanosides can be found in brightly colored berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, as well as bell peppers and grapes.

A small change now can help prevent eye problems as you get older. Including these everyday foods in your diet is a simple yet effective way to keep your eyes healthy longer.

The post Five Foods That Are Good For Your Eye Health appeared first on .

Categories: Bell Peppers, beta carotene, collard greens, eye health, eyes healthy, Healthy Fats, leafy greens, night vision, olive oil

Five Foods That Are Good For Your Eye Health

 

There are many ways to keep your eyes healthy, from getting your annual checkup to wearing sunglasses when it is bright. It can even be as simple as eating. The nutrients found in these 5 common foods can help protect your eyes and keep them healthy longer.

 

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene, an antioxidant which may help slow the progress of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Beta carotene is a provitamin and can be converted by the body into Vitamin A, which helps prevent dry eyes, eye infections, and can help improve night vision.

You can get beta carotene from deep orange foods including carrots and butternut squash. Dark, leafy greens such as collard greens also contain beta carotene. Eat with healthy fats, such as olive oil, to help the body absorb the nutrient better.

 

Salmon

Salmon and other fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient with numerous health benefits. Omega-3s, like beta carotene, may help slow AMD, since they are important to nerve cells of the retina.

If you don’t eat fish, you can get Omega-3 fatty acids from various sources, including chia and flax seeds, walnuts, avocados, and olive oil.

 

Kale

Kale contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect the eye from sun damage. Lutein and zeaxanthin are related to vitamin A and, according to Harry W. Chan, OD, these nutrients help protect the cornea, prevent cataracts, and slow AMD.

Dark, leafy greens such as spinach and collard greens are all good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin as are kiwi, honeydew, and corn. These nutrients are best absorbed with healthy fats.

 

Oranges

Just like oranges can help with colds they can help with healthy vision as well. Vitamin C can help lower your risk of cataracts and, when taken with other nutrients, can help slow AMD.

You can get Vitamin C from citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. It is also found in strawberries, bell peppers, cantaloupes, and broccoli.

 

Blackcurrants

Blackcurrants contain anthocyanosides, a compound that helps develop night vision. Anthocyanosides are an antioxidant, which are beneficial to eye health, though it is unclear how.

Anthocyanosides can be found in brightly colored berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, as well as bell peppers and grapes.

A small change now can help prevent eye problems as you get older. Including these everyday foods in your diet is a simple yet effective way to keep your eyes healthy longer.

The post Five Foods That Are Good For Your Eye Health appeared first on .

Categories: Bell Peppers, beta carotene, collard greens, eye health, eyes healthy, Healthy Fats, leafy greens, night vision, olive oil

Five Foods That Are Good For Your Eye Health

There are many ways to keep your eyes healthy, from getting your annual checkup to wearing sunglasses when it is bright. It can even be as simple as eating. The nutrients found in these 5 common foods can help protect your eyes and keep them healthy longer.

 

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene, an antioxidant which may help slow the progress of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Beta carotene is a provitamin and can be converted by the body into Vitamin A, which helps prevent dry eyes, eye infections, and can help improve night vision.

You can get beta carotene from deep orange foods including carrots and butternut squash. Dark, leafy greens such as collard greens also contain beta carotene. Eat with healthy fats, such as olive oil, to help the body absorb the nutrient better.

 

Salmon

Salmon and other fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient with numerous health benefits. Omega-3s, like beta carotene, may help slow AMD, since they are important to nerve cells of the retina.

If you don’t eat fish, you can get Omega-3 fatty acids from various sources, including chia and flax seeds, walnuts, avocados, and olive oil.

 

Kale

Kale contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect the eye from sun damage. Lutein and zeaxanthin are related to vitamin A and, according to Harry W. Chan, OD, these nutrients help protect the cornea, prevent cataracts, and slow AMD.

Dark, leafy greens such as spinach and collard greens are all good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin as are kiwi, honeydew, and corn. These nutrients are best absorbed with healthy fats.

 

Oranges

Just like oranges can help with colds they can help with healthy vision as well. Vitamin C can help lower your risk of cataracts and, when taken with other nutrients, can help slow AMD.

You can get Vitamin C from citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. It is also found in strawberries, bell peppers, cantaloupes, and broccoli.

 

Blackcurrants

Blackcurrants contain anthocyanosides, a compound that helps develop night vision. Anthocyanosides are an antioxidant, which are beneficial to eye health, though it is unclear how.

Anthocyanosides can be found in brightly colored berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, as well as bell peppers and grapes.

A small change now can help prevent eye problems as you get older. Including these everyday foods in your diet is a simple yet effective way to keep your eyes healthy longer.

Categories: Bell Peppers, beta carotene, collard greens, diet, eating tips, eye health, fatty acids, Healthy Fats, leafy greens, night vision, olive oil

Supplement Saviour: When is Diet Not Enough?

You know that you need to include all the essential vitamins and minerals in your diet, but what about those nutrients that need a little wellness boost? Most of the research suggesting vitamins and minerals prevent cancer and heart disease has been done in dietary sources of nutrients, rather than supplements, so is there ever any point in taking your vitamins and minerals in pill form? The odds are that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fortified food will give you everything you need to enhance your wellbeing, while supplements are more of a just-in-case form of health insurance. Let’s take a closer look at the beneficial nutrients, and if they’re best attained through diet, or whether they could use a helping hand.

 

1. Beta-carotene: Your body converts this antioxidant into vitamin A and uses it for healthy vision, good skin and a functioning immune system. You can get plenty from carrots, sweet potatoes, and green peppers, among other foods, but what about supplements? According to a 2004 study, taking your beta-carotene in pill form may actually raise your risk of lung cancer if you’re a smoker, so it’s best to get all the antioxidant you need from your diet.

 

2. Calcium: As you probably know from every yogurt advert ever, you need calcium to maintain healthy bones and stave off osteoporosis. However, if you’re dairy intolerant, or you’re getting sick of kale and canned sardines, supplements aren’t a bad idea as long as you don’t take more than 500 milligrams at a time, and pair them with vitamin D to improve your body’s calcium absorption. However, you shouldn’t pop the pill version of calcium if you’re a female over the age of 70, or if you’re prone to kidney stones. In 2010, a report showed a link between calcium supplements and heart-attack risk in older postmenopausal women.

 

3. Folic acid: Although the jury’s still out as to whether folate combats cancer, heart disease, or mental illness, this B vitamin – found in fortified breakfast cereal, dark green vegetables, legumes, citrus fruit juice, bread, and pasta – is beneficial in preventing neural tube defects such as spina bifida in babies. This is why it’s absolutely vital to get 400mg of folic acid every day, or 600mg if you’re pregnant or lactating. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) advises that this amount should come from food, supplements, or both.

 

4. Iron: As the foods highest in iron are liver and other organ meats, you might find yourself wanting to skip your iron intake altogether. However, as women are particularly prone to anaemia – thanks to that special time of month – this mineral is absolutely critical to give your red blood cells the boost they need to prevent this fatigue-inducing condition. Luckily, there are delicious dietary sources of iron, including lean meats, seafood, nuts, and green, leafy vegetables. Still, Jessica Anderson, a registered dietician with the Coastal Bend Health Education Centre, at the Texas A&M Health Science Centre, says you might need a supplement if you are anaemic, have heavy periods or if your doctor has prescribed one before surgery.

 

5. Potassium: If you have high blood pressure, too much sodium or an irregular heart rhythm, potassium can sort you out. While the mineral is found in bananas, raisins, leafy greens, oranges, and milk, you might want to consider a supplement if you’re of African origin, as you’re at a higher risk for hypertension for hypertension and heart disease. People taking potassium-depleting diuretics for a heart condition might also benefit from supplements, but remember that too much potassium can be harmful to older people and people with kidney disease.

Categories: beta carotene, calcium, diet, dietary sources, folic acid, heart, heart disease, iron, nbsp, pill form, potassium, Supplements

Forget Eating Your Greens, Opt For a Rainbow Instead

‘Eat your greens’ may have been the sentence most commonly heard around the dinner table when you were younger, but there’s a new rule to follow now – eating the rainbow. It seems that avoiding the reds, oranges and purples in our diet could mean that we’re missing out on a range of vital nutrients. By eating the rainbow, we ensure that our bodies get everything they need to stay healthy and strong. Fruit and vegetables contain numerous phytochemicals which act as antioxidants that are used to fight off disease, keep us looking young and to maintain strong bodily processes. They are used to ‘mop up’ free radicals which are molecules that can cause damage to the body if they’re left in the body. As a result, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables could keep your body healthier for longer, helping you to prevent heart disease, cancers, cataracts and even premature ageing. Researchers have found that the phytochemicals could also offer other health benefits, so on top of your five a day you also need to make sure you get a range of colours into your diet as well.

Eating a range of colours doesn’t just mean that you’re getting a range of nutrients – it also means you’ll be able to add a range of textures and flavours to your diet as well. You may think you’re limited when it comes to ingredients that have bright colours, but there’s more to choose from than you think. With red as your inspiration, why not choose between cranberries, cherries, apples, rhubarb, radishes, tomatoes, peppers and red grapes? These ingredients contain lycopene, which is a carotenoid, as well as anthocyanins which give fruit and vegetables their distinctive red colour. They also have high levels of vitamin C, which is great for your immune system. These ingredients can help to protect you from certain cancers, in particular prostate cancer. Our bodies absorb lycopene more easily when the foods have been heated, so eat tomatoes and such ingredients cooked rather than raw.

Green vegetables are easier to find, but you don’t need to limit yourself to spinach. Lettuce, cucumber, cress, courgette, mangetout, apples and kiwi fruit all count towards as well. These contain chlorophyll and nutrients such as iron and calcium. They also contain lutein which is helpful for protecting your eyes. Purple foods could be anything from raisins, red onions and aubergine to blackcurrants and blueberries. These contain anthocyanins which keep the heart healthy and lower the risk of strokes. Researchers have also found that the nutrients within purple and blue foods could help to improve your balance, short-term memory and co-ordination. Lastly, orange and yellow foods can come from oranges, grapefruits, pumpkin, sweetcorn, squash, peaches and pineapple. These are great sources of vitamin C, as well as being loaded with beta carotene. Most yellow or orange foods help to protect your eyes and skin, as they enable the body to convert beta carotene into vitamin A. Eating the rainbow may seem daunting at first, but as long as you ensure that you eat a varied selection of fruit and vegetables every day, you’ll be on track to getting your daily dose of these health-boosting nutrients. If you’re in doubt, why not have a smoothie in the morning, which you can load up with delicious and healthy ingredients? Add a few portions to your dinner and have a piece of fruit as a snack, and you’ll be reaching that five a day goal more easily.

Categories: beta carotene, eating, fruit, ingredients, nutrients, range, vegetables