You know your body cannot function without food. You also know that type and amount of food you consume, the way you prepare it and your eating habits have impact on your general health. What you may not know is that exactly the same things are directly linked to your vision. Moreover, in many respects your diet has greater impact on your vision than on any other organ or system of your body.
There have been a lot of discussions about the relationship between nutrition and vision. Many scientists, ophthalmologists and public health specialists are working on discovering the exact mechanisms in which various food types are affecting eyesight. Many studies and clinical trials held over the last 20 years have proven that many foods can prevent or delay the progression of certain eye disorders while other can increase the risks of their occurrence.
For instance, a recent research of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Research Service found that “… consuming a ” high glycemic-index” diet over a long period of time is associated with a higher risk of developing the early stages of a major eye disease–age-related macular degeneration, or AMD.” In other words, eating too much quickly digestible carbohydrate foods such as candies, directly damages the eye.
When it comes to improving your eyesight naturally, nothing can take the place of a healthy, well-balanced diet. Adding certain nutrients to your daily menu can help you preserve your vision, delay the progression of your existing eye disorders, relive some of their symptoms and lower the risks of developing more serious eye conditions.
Many foods are known to have positive influence on eye health. Their beneficial effects are due to the vitamins, minerals and microelements these foods contain. Figuring out which foods you need to incorporate in your daily diet and which to leave out is only possible if you learn which nutrients are of importance to your eyes and which food types contain them.
The most important nutrients essential to eye health are vitamin A, C and E, the antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxantin, some essential fatty acids and the microelement Zinc. An adequate intake of these nutrients lowers the risk of chronic eye diseases, slows the progression of visual acuity loss and delays the progression of various eye conditions. In addition, these nutrients protect the eye tissue cells from damage caused by free radicals and ensure the proper function of all eye structures.
Generally speaking, there are no foods totally bad for our eyesight. There are certain food preparation techniques and eating habits that make the foods we consume dangerous for our vision. For instance, sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamin E; however, if we deep-fry them we make them bad for our vision.
Obviously, it is impossible to cover everything about the relationship between nutrition and vision in just one article. That’s why we have dedicated a whole section of our blog to teaching you how to maintain and enhance your vision naturally through a healthier diet. Take the first step to improving your eyesight naturally by learning how to feed not only your body but your eyes. A great way to start your journey to a healthier vision is to sign up for our free newsletter and receive a free report on nutrition and vision.
