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Certain Foods Good for Eye Health
by Ron Kurtus (22 February 2012)
Eating orange and green foods are thought to be good for eye health. This is primarily because they have more Vitamin A. Lack of Vitamin A can sometimes result in some eye problems or diseases.
Questions you may have include:
- What can happen if there isn't enough Vitamin A in my diet?
- How much Vitamin A is recommended?
- Are there other materials that promote eye health?
This lesson will answer those questions. Health Disclaimer
Lack can cause eye problems
A deficiency in Vitamin A can cause dry eyes, night blindness, corneal ulcers and can even lead to blindness. Vitamin A has also been shown to prevent cataracts and may prevent blindness due to macular degeneration. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that is found in animal sources, such as liver and cod liver oil.
Beta-carotene is a carotenoid that your body converts into Vitamin A. Rich sources of beta-carotenoids are orange fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe.
Recommended Daily Allowance
The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Vitamin A for males age 11 and older is 1,000 Retinol Equivalents (RE). For females over the age of 11, the RDA is 800 RE.
One 7 inch carrot has 2,025 RE and one medium sweet potato has 2,668 RE, more than 200% of the RDA. If you don’t mind the taste of cod liver oil, 1 teaspoon will provide 1,370 RE of Vitamin A.
Lutein and zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are also carotenoids that may reduce the risk of developing cataracts and possibly macular degeneration. These two carotenoids are often found together in fruits and vegetables.
The best sources of lutein and zeaxanthinare green, leafy vegetables--especially spinach. Lutein and zeaxanthin are also found in kale, collard greens, and yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as corn. There is currently no RDA for these two carotenoids.
Summary
So if you are concerned about maintaining good eye health, think orange and green. By simply adding some color to your diet, you can greatly enhance your sight.
Eat a carrot each day to keep the eye doctor away.
Eat well to stay healthy
Resources and references
Websites
10 Foods for Eye Health - Eat This!
Feeding Your Eyes Will Help Protect Your Eyesight - Protect-Your-Eyesight.com
Good Foods for Eye Health - WebMD
Books
(Notice: The School for Champions may earn commissions from book purchases)
Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates: Simple Lifestyle Choices for Permanent Weight Loss by Jill Fleming; Inspiration Presentations Press (2005) $22.95 - Common sense guideline to making permanent changes in one's lifestyle and body.
Students and researchers
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www.school-for-champions.com/health/
foods_for_eye_health.htm
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Certain Foods Good for Eye Health