Hello everyone. This is a guest post from Optical Express.
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If you ask someone what they need to do to have overall good health they will probably tell you eating right. Ask them specifically what to eat to maintain eye health and they probably will mention carrots. However, carrots are not the only food that will keep your eyes healthy. There are actually many different kinds of foods that, when added to our diet, can help boost the health of our eyes. Taking care of your eye health is essential in order to ensure they work properly for years to come.
Many people use eyewear to correct their vision while others seek a more permanent fix with surgical methods such as laser eye treatment. While surgical procedures like this can correct your vision it is still important to maintain the health of your eyes to prevent further problems from occurring. One of the easiest ways to maintain your eye health is probably as close as your refrigerator. Certain foods when consumed provide a natural boost to our eyes. These foods contain certain nutrients which contain beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, selenium and omega-3 fats will provide some benefits to the eyes.
Foods containing the antioxidant, beta-carotene, are very beneficial to your eye health. This antioxidant is known to reduce the incidence of macular degeneration as well as cataract. Carrots are most often associated with good eye health. However, carrots are not the only vegetable to benefit eye health. Broccoli, brussel sprouts and bell peppers can also give a boost to your eyes as these vegetable are rich in vitamin C.
Omega-3 fats are another essential for one’s eye health. Therefore, certain types of fish are ideal to give your body a boost of these helpful fats. The best sources would include wild salmon and sardines. Ideally, a person should consume about two to three servings in a week for maximum benefits.
Leafy green vegetables are an important part of any diet. However, according to research, certain varieties provide needed vitamins and minerals for healthy eyes. This would include spinach, broccoli and kale although spinach is the best of the three. High levels of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin are found in spinach. These antioxidants have been proven to protect the eyes from possible issues such as macular degeneration. By consuming these greens you’re sure to boost your eye health.
The minerals, selenium and zinc, are also proven to help keep eyes healthy. One food that contains both of these minerals is oysters. Selenium can be found in Brazil nuts, yeast and other kinds of seafood. Beef, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, wheat and nuts are all sources of zinc. Adding these foods to your diet can help ensure your continued eye health.
By balancing foods containing these essential vitamins, fats, minerals and antioxidants, the well being of your eyes will be looked after. Keep in mind that while adding these foods to your diet will help your eye health, you should also stay away from some that are detrimental. For instance, excessive amounts of sugar and salt can work against healthy eating. Also, processed foods, trans and saturated fats should be avoided.