We all know that having a proper diet leads to greater physical health and emotional well-being. But do we also know whether our diet affects our eyes? It has been well attributed that carrots can greatly improve eyesight. While its effects may be exaggerated a bit, we do know that this veggie produces beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A. Deficiencies of vitamin A often lead to blindness or (you guessed it) cataracts. So now that we know that carrots help eyesight, what about other foods? In one study, those who drink green tea, especially more than 14 cups a week, are less likely to develop cataracts as those who don’t drink the tea. What can we do to reduce our risk of cataracts and improve our eye health? Let’s find out.
Avoid free radicals like the plague
In the natural progression and life cycle of your cells, free radicals are given to the body. Normally this isn’t a problem, but it is when you eat fatty foods or start smoking. Taking in phytonutrients and antioxidants can greatly reduce your risk of developing cataracts later in life.
Mind your food colors
Mother Nature is looking out for us when it comes to the colors of the foods that we eat. If you especially consume colorful fruits and veggies that are red, orange, yellow, green, and even purple, you have a much better chance of taking in phytonutrients which are all powerful and important when it comes to fighting cataracts.
Carotenoids are types of chemicals that contribute not just to your eye health, but your overall health as well. You can get these chemicals in the rich colors of food. Some examples would be pumpkin, squash, tomatoes, leafy greens, and carrots as we said before.
Vitamin C and E
You can’t go wrong with some good vitamin C or E. You can get these from orange juice, strawberries, grapefruits, and kiwis. You’ll be hard-pressed not to find this in several other fruits and veggies as well.
As you can see, getting the right kinds of vitamins and minerals in your body is essential to not just your eye health, but your overall health as well. While this list isn’t exhaustive, it should get you well on your way toward improving your eye health and getting into good shape as well. With this digital, interconnected world that we live in, it’s more important than ever to take care of our precious eyes.