Top 6 Foods for Healthy Eyes

Health starts with proper dieting, and eye health is no different. If you want to have good eyesight and to keep eye diseases of, you need to make sure you run a healthy lifestyle- regular exercising and a sound diet are the keys.

Maintaining a healthy diet is easier than you think. It starts with a few healthy substitutions- switches soda for water, adds fruit for dessert, and your diet is already much better. To take it even further, add some of these superfoods to your meals, your eyes will thank you in the future. Let's begin! (1)

Carrots

This is a no-brainer, the number one advice of your grandma, the one you’ve heard a million times before, but there’s a good reason behind it- it’s true. Carrots and other orange-coloured veggies contain beta-carotene (you get the name). That is a type of Vitamin A, which has many benefits on our organism, and one of them is that it promotes the health of the retina. Other foods that contain high amounts of beta-carotene are sweet potato, beans, peas, and broccoli.

Eggs

Eggs had some bad rep in the past. “Two eggs per week” used to be the norm, but it was abandoned a long time ago. People feared eggs because of the cholesterol, but like most phobias, this one came from plain ignorance. There are two types of cholesterol, good and bad, and it turns out that eggs contain a lot of the healthy kind. So go ahead, eat eggs. They are rich in protein, feed your muscles, and have fat too, they will definitely make you feel full, and it will stay that for long. Eggs make a perfect breakfast. They are excellent for your eyes too- eggs are rich in zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, which prevent blue-light damage to your retina. Also, these compounds benefit the macula, increasing its proactive pigment. The macula is responsible for controlling central vision. And on top of this, eggs are tasty and affordable, so you really can’t find an excuse not to eat them.

Dark greens

Dark-coloured, leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, are also rich in carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin.  They are also rich in other forms of Vitamins A and E, and other antioxidants. These are all essential for healthy eyes, and are lowering the risk of mucular problems, AMD, and cataracts. We won’t even start mentioning the benefits greens have on our overall health- the list is endless. There are many reasons why you need to include them in your regular diet, even if you dislike the taste.

Fish

Unfortunately, people of Western society don’t eat enough fish. Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, the retina’s best friends. Omega-3s also fight dry eyes, a common problem for modern people who spend most of their days in front of some kind of screen (after all, you are reading this on a screen too). The best type of fish you can eat for your eyesight surely is salmon, the wild-caught one especially. But, any fish is better than none, so try to add any type of fish into your diet, a couple of times per week. Grill it, and add some veggies (from this list) and you will have an excellent meal, that is not only excellent for your eyes but will trim your waist down too!

Milk and dairy products

On this list, we are trying to display foods that are not too exotic, that you can easily find in supermarkets, and that actually taste good. Some of these foods you already have in your diets, but you are not even paying attention to them. You should only tweak your diet a bit, adding some more. One group of foods that you are already consuming is a dairy products. Milk and its cousins are excellent for your health and have a positive influence on eye health too. Rich in Vitamin A, and zinc, daily products protect the cornea, and feed the retina, and choroid (vascular tissue under the retina). Zinc is also helping you see in the dark, or when the light is low and is vital in preventing cataracts. If you can choose between dairy products, pick yoghurt. It is an excellent dessert and has many useful bacteria to help with digestion.

(Bell) Peppers

The number one reason why you must add bell peppers to your diet is Vitamin C- of all the things you can eat, bell peppers have the most Vitamin C, per calorie. The second reason is the excellent taste. Vitamin C is needed all over our bodies and is also excellent for the eyes. It promotes the health of the eyes blood vessels and also lowers the risk of cataracts. They fight the aging of your eyes too, preventing age-related macular degeneration. They have other health benefits too, such as helping to prevent prostate cancer. Peppers also contain Vitamins A, and E. However, heat kills the Vitamin C, and if you want to get the full dosage, you have to eat those tasty peppers raw.

Conclusion

That’s it, folks, we have presented you with a few tasty options that you can add to your diet today, to supplement your (eye) health. But, diet is just the first step, to maintain good eyesight, you have to visit an ophthalmologist. All these foods taste good, are affordable, and can be found almost anywhere. This means you can't find excuses not to eat them. It only takes a little effort to improve your diet significantly, and with it, your overall health.

Also, if your doctor has already prescribed glasses or contact lenses, make sure you wear them regularly. Not doing that can corrupt your vision, even more, so don’t risk it. Wearing contacts/glasses, a healthy diet, regular exercise and a visit to the doctor's office every now and then is all it takes to take care of your health, eyes included!