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Explanation about how certain foods are good for healthy eyes - Strategies for Staying Healthy. Also refer to Vitamin A, dry eyes, night blindness, corneal ulcers, antioxidant, macular degeneration, Beta-carotene, Lutein, zeaxanthin, carotenoids, vegetables, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions

Certain Foods Good for Eye Health

by Jill Fleming, MS, RD (7 August 2004)

Eating orange and green foods are thought to be good for eye health. This is primarily because they have more Vitamin A. 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. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson. 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.

Answers to Readers' Questions

Eat well to stay healthy

Resources

The following are resources on this subject.

Websites

Set Your Sights on Vision Nutrition - Article

Nutrition and Vision - Nutrition Site Designed for Retinal Degeneration

General Health Resources

Books

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.

Top-rated books on General Healthy Diets

Top-rated books on General Health

Miscellaneous

Mini-quiz to check your understanding

1. Are carrots really beneficial for vision?

2. What is the RDA?

3. What is a benefit of spinach?

If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in being Healthy. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.

Author

Jill Fleming is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters degree in Nutrition. She is a highly sought-after inspirational weight loss speaker who motivates individuals to take control of their weight using simple lifestyle choices, called THIN CHOICES.  She has been teaching these successful weight loss techniques for the past 11 years. 

She is the author of the book Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates. Jill feels that she is the bridge between thin people and those who want to be thin.  Jill can teach anyone these non-diet strategies through her seminars and her book. Jill can help you cross the bridge to begin living and looking like the thin person that is waiting inside of you.

For more information on how to request Jill to speak at your organization’s next gathering, go to www.thinchoices.com , call toll free (866) 482-1159 or email Jill directly at Jill@thinchoices.com.  Jill is also available to answer your weight loss questions at the website. 

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Certain Foods Good for Eye Health