Eat your way to healthy eyes

Keeping the eyes healthy becomes very important for all of us as many times we over strain these parts of our bodies by reading in dim light, spending too much time on computers, squinting at the tiny alphabets when we browse the net on our cell phone screens, watching too much television.

Our eyes are as prone to aging as the rest of our body. A lot can be done to keep the eyes healthy. The food we eat nourishes not just our body but also benefits our eyes in various ways: by fighting dullness, by preventing muscular degeneration, by slowing down the onset of cataract, preventing night blindness, loss of vision and macular disease.

The important vitamins and minerals for the eyes are Beta Carotene, Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin E and Omega 3 Fats. Fortunately for us mother nature has endowed fruits and vegetables  with these vital ingredients.

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene and protect the eyes by lowering the risk of cataracts and vision problems. Spinach or palak is also healthy for the eyes.

Spinach has an abundance of beta carotene, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin. Studies have revealed that it absorbs a good percentage of the blue light that is harmful for the eyes.

It is one of the best foods for reducing the macular degeneration of the eyes that occurs with age.

Grandma’s recommended food for eyes: the crunchy almonds, are also recommended by the doctors. Almonds are rich in Vitamin E and improve vision and help prevent cataract.

Cherries too come under great eye food category. The lovely red berries contain antioxidants that prevent many eye problems. They are also a good for preventing diseases that lead to blindness.  Cherries are loaded with bioflavonoids which strengthen the small blood vessels that carry oxygen to the eyes and brain. It is also rich in calcium, iron, fibre, potassium and Vitamins A, B, C and E.

Another vegetable good for the eyes is the sweet potato, a food we reserve for the fasting days. Packed with beta-carotene, sweet potatoes are good for all round eye health. Broccoli, the lesser known cousin of cauliflower is recommended highly for good eye health. Broccoli has vital nutrients which minimize eye problems. For those wishing to prevent muscular degeneration of the eyes as well as loss of vision, Broccoli is recommended by experts for prevention of muscular degeneration of the eyes and loss of vision.

The Vitamin A present in tomatoes not just prevents night blindness but also improves vision. Studies on tomatoes have shown that regular consumption of tomatoes may help in bringing down the risk of macular degeneration, a serious and irreversible condition of the eyes). Eggs are an important source of Vitamin A, zinc, B12, Vitamin D, lutein, and cysteine. All these warriors present in the eggs help in protecting our eyes from a host of diseases.

For the vegetarians, the family of beans: kidney beans, lentils, chick peas come to the rescue. They are great sources of the valuable nutrient zinc which is present in abundance in meat and poultry. A deficiency in zinc leads to deterioration of macula in the retina. Zinc is important as it is supposed to release Vitamin A into our diets. Both Vitamin A and Zinc keep our eyes healthy.  Sardines rich in omega 3 fatty acids keep eyes healthy.  They also protect the tiny blood vessels in our eyes.

Above all, drinking lots of water flushes out not just the toxins from our bodies, it also prevents the white of our eyes from turning yellow. Incorporating the food, that is beneficial for our eyes, into our diets go a long way in keeping our eyes healthy.