subject: Eat Right to Save Your Sight [print this page] Eat Right to Save Your Sight Eat Right to Save Your Sight
Ever wonder why carrots are associated with better vision?
It's because beta-carotene is vital for various functions and structures of the eye, and beta-carotene is a pigment that is abundant in carrots as well as in other vegetables and fruits that are red and yellow and orange. Beta-carotene is one of the carotenoids which also include lutein, astaxanthin and zeaxanthin and once it is in the body it is converted to vitamin A (retinol).
If you don't get enough beta-carotene, you are more likely to become afflicted with cataracts. As vitamin A, beta-carotene not only fights eye troubles, but also infections, according to such authorities as the Linus Pauling Institute. The most common cause of blindness is age-related macular degeneration, and deficiencies in anti-oxidants such as zinc, vitamins A, C and E have been found in people with this affliction.
Here is a short list of some of the foods that are rich in beta-carotene:
Carrot juice, canned 1 cup (8 fl oz)=22mg beta-carotene
Pumpkin, canned 1 cup=17mg beta-carotene
Spinach, cooked 1 cup=13.8 beta-carotene
Sweet potato, baked 1 medium=13.1mg beta-carotene
Carrots, cooked 1 cup=13mg beta-carotene
Collards, frozen, cooked 1 cup 11.6mg beta-carotene
But are you eating your recommended nine servings of colorful vegetables and fruits every day in order to get the anti-oxidant and eye-strengthening effect of the carotenoids? Probably not, if you're a typical American. So then what?
Dietary supplements that are good for the eyes
There are a number of nutrients that are available in supplement form that will help your eyes. Chief among them are lutein, astaxanthin and zeaxanthin. Vitamins E and A have also been shown to be beneficial to the eyes, though prolonged doses of vitamin A are not recommended.
Astaxanthin, a nutrient that is being shown to be a more effective anti-oxidant than beta-carotene and lutein, is one of the major ingredients found in krill oil.
Of course, these supplements are not only associated with better eye health, but many other things as well. For instance, in one study 22,000 American male doctors took 50 milligrams of beta-carotene every other day for 12 years, and this led to fewer incidences of prostate cancer than were found in others.
For more information on this and many other health conditions, supplements and health strategies, visit WellWise.org.
