3 Ways To Eat Your Way To Healthy Eyes

1 min

This tip is courtesy of Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging: Your Online Guide to the Anti-Inflammatory Diet. For more nutrition and health guidance, start your 14-day free trial now!

Maintaining healthy vision takes more than protecting your eyes from the sun and eating beta-carotene-rich carrots. Luckily, there are a variety of other foods that can help. Add the following to your meals:

1. Dark, leafy greens, which contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that can help address cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Spinach, kale and collard greens are all excellent sources. Start by substituting spinach for romaine in salads, and add a side of greens to your meals or smoothies.
2. Sweet potatoes (along with pumpkins and cantaloupes) contain a host of carotenoids that function as precursors of vitamin A – a nutrient necessary for normal vision and retinal functioning. A simple, healthy swap is baking a sweet potato instead of a white potato.
3. Eggs. Just one egg a day will increase your levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, and also provide sulfur compounds that may help prevent cataracts form forming. Opt for omega-3 fortified eggs, which contain higher levels of DHA, another nutrient that’s good for the eyes. If you’re not a fan of eggs for breakfast, add a sliced, hard-boiled egg to a salad for lunch or dinner.

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