Taking a holistic approach to your health is a great way to get results. In addition to exercise and heart health, a big part of holistic wellness is paying attention to the little things. For example, doing everything you can to protect and maintain your eyesight will have a significant impact on your overall well-being.
Fortunately, it’s easier than you think to take care of your eye health every day. One easy (and delicious) way to do this is to add eye-healthy foods to your diet.
Below is a list of some of the most nutritious foods for your eyes.
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Best foods for healthy eyes
Whether you have a history of vision problems in your family or you struggle with eyestrain in your daily life, here are 12 foods to promote eye health.
broccoli
A study sponsored by the American Optometric Association found that indole-3-carbinol, a compound found in broccoli, may help remove toxins from the retina. This reduces your risk of age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss in older adults. Broccoli also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which also have protective effects for your eyes. However, note that this study claims that you would have to eat an unreasonable amount of broccoli to truly protect yourself from AMD.
Salmon
To keep your eyes healthy, you need to keep them hydrated. Some of the best foods for healthy eyes can help with this. Salmon, for example, contains omega-3 fatty acids. This helps reduce the risk of dry eyes, an uncomfortable condition that becomes more common as we age.
If you’re a woman, it’s more important to eat salmon and other omega-3-rich foods that are good for eye health. People assigned female at birth have twice the risk of developing dry eyes.
Carrots
You’ve probably heard it before: Carrots are one of the best foods for eye health. First of all, they contain tons of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that your body uses to make vitamin A. Vitamin A helps you see at night and protects against myopia (i.e., nearsightedness). If you’ve been looking for a way to avoid vision correction—or to keep your current prescription for contact lenses or glasses as long as possible—reach for Bugs Bunny’s favorite snack.
Carrots also contain lutein, another antioxidant that may help reduce your risk of AMD.
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Sunflower seeds
Yes, you should protect your eyes from the sun. But don’t let the name fool you; no protection is needed here. Sunflower seeds are one of the best foods for eyesight. They are high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects our eyes from oxidative stress. Vitamin E also helps fight the sun’s harmful UV rays, thus reducing the risk of cataracts.
Important note: Although your body can synthesize some vitamins itself, you must obtain vitamin E through food or supplements.
kiwi
Looking for another way to combat potential sun damage? Then try kiwi. This furry fruit makes our list of best foods for healthy eyes because it contains lutein, the AMD-fighting antioxidant I mentioned earlier, as well as zeaxanthin, which helps your eyes filter light.
Oysters
While many other foods that are good for eye health may not be a surprise, this one might seem a little surprising. Still, they’re worth shucking. Not only do oysters contain omega-3 fatty acids, but they’re also high in zinc, giving you another powerful nutrient when trying to combat AMD.
spinach
Take a leafy example from Popeye and eat spinach. This leafy vegetable is a great source of all kinds of nutrients and is also one of the best foods for healthy eyes. It contains loads of lutein, which, as I mentioned, is an important component of eye health. And spinach also contains zeaxanthin.
For your body to optimally absorb these antioxidants, you need to consume them with fat. A little spinach salad with olive oil – which also contains omega-9 fatty acids and a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids – is an easy way to incorporate the best foods for vision into every meal.
Eggs
Eggs contain virtually everything your eyes need, from lutein and zeaxanthin to zinc and vitamin A. In fact, a 2019 study concluded that eating a moderate amount of eggs on a regular basis (about two to four eggs per week) significantly lowers your risk of developing AMD. If you’re looking to reach for foods that are good for eye health, eggs can (maybe) make that easier.
Almonds
Almonds and other nuts are high in vitamin E, the antioxidant that fights AMD and cataracts. Your body cannot produce this vitamin itself.
Plus, this is one of the best foods for promoting eye health if you want to avoid kitchen prep. If you don’t want to fire up the stove or grab a cutting board, you can grab a handful of almonds and get started.
yogurt
Dairy products contain both vitamin A and zinc, two nutrients that, as I mentioned earlier, are crucial for eye health. But if you really want to choose the best foods for your vision, you should go for the fermented variety when selecting your dairy products. Why? Because yogurt contains probiotics. And studies are increasingly showing that these good bacteria can help with everything from allergic conjunctivitis to dry eyes.
Oranges
I’ve already talked about beta-carotene, its role in vitamin A, and why vitamin A is important for your eyes. But what I didn’t tell you is that it’s generally pretty easy to get foods with beta-carotene, and for one important reason: This antioxidant is what makes them orange. So you can be sure that oranges contain a good amount of this nutrient, earning them their place on this list of the best foods to improve vision.
And as you probably already know, oranges are high in vitamin C. And that can help your body fight AMD, cataracts, and vision loss in general.
Strawberries
Oranges are highly touted for their vitamin C content, but strawberries actually contain more. And since vitamin C packs a triple punch of preventing vision loss, cataracts, and AMD, these berries deserve to round out our list of the best foods for eye health.
