Food Guide: for better eye health in 2023

 You are what you eat… And this applies to your eyesight as much as it does to the rest of your body. Happily, it’s not as difficult as you might think to add vision-friendly nutrition into your day-to-day diet.

For most of us, a few tweaks is all it will take to include delicious health-boosting and disease-busting foods into our regular eating plan. 

From What to How: everything you need to know about eating for better eye health

• What foods promote great eye health?
• Easy ways to eat for better eye health

What foods promote great eye health?

Including a wide variety of foods in your diet is the best way to promote excellent visual health. The following foodstuffs have been proven to have a particularly beneficial effect on both the eyes themselves and your eyesight.

• Fish: All types of fish are good, but particularly those high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as sardines, tuna, anchovies, mackerel, and salmon.
• Dark leafy veg: Especially kale and spinach. This is because they contain high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as lots of carotenoids. These help to ward off one of the greatest risks of vision loss as we get older—age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• Poultry and lean meat: The high levels of zinc these contain are important to help the liver metabolize vitamin A, something that’s essential for eye protection. Chicken, pork, and beef are all high in zinc.
• Broccoli and sprouts: These provide the body with a plentiful supply of vitamins A, C, and E—all of which provide potent protection against tissue cell degradation from free radicals.
• Eggs: A great source of zinc, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
• Seeds: All seeds are great, but particularly chia, hemp, and flax. These are high in vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Beans and legumes: High in fiber and zinc, these are especially important if you follow a vegan or any other kind or restrictive diet.
• Orange fruit and vegetables: Such as carrots, orange peppers, sweet potatoes, and mangoes. These are all rich in beta-carotene, an important type of vitamin A that helps retain good eye health.
• Red fruit and veg: Including red peppers, strawberries, and tomatoes. They all contain excellent levels of vitamin C, which plays a huge role in helping you stave off age-related cataracts.

Let’s not forget one other extremely important element of the diet—the humble glass of water. Ensuring that you’re adequately hydrated helps the various substances be transferred smoothly around the body. It also helps prevent conditions, such as dry eye, which is a common condition that affects around 20 million Americans.

Easy ways to eat for better eye health

The best way to make sure you’re eating for the health of your eyes (and your body as a whole) is to include a wide variety of foods in your daily diet. Think color—your plate should resemble a kaleidoscope of foods, from dark green through the rainbow to red, yellow, orange, etc. Try not to include too many “white” foods (white bread, white rice, white sugar…) as these are highly processed and don’t have much nutritious value.

Another great rule of thumb is to eat food that’s as close to its natural state as possible. For example, a good cut of meat is better than a burger, raw fruit is better than a smoothie, and new potatoes are better than potato chips…

The WBEC & Food Guide for Better Eye Health in 2023: a match made in heaven

At the West Boca Eye Center, we don’t just provide the country’s best eye care—we also provide all the information you need to proactively care for your vision and reduce the risk of future vision issues.

From eating for eye health to sensible protection precautions and timely diagnosis of eye problems at the earliest stage, we’re the go-to provider for everything and anything to do with eye and eye-related health.

Visit https://westbocaeyecenter.com/services/ for more info.