ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Want Healthy Eyes? Include These 14 Foods in Your Diet

14 foods you must include in your diet for healthy eyes. 

Updated
story-hero-img
i
Aa
Aa
Small
Aa
Medium
Aa
Large

Don’t just think taste, think eyes too. Eventually the health of your eyes is dependent on what is on your plate. No it’s not just carrots we are talking about. Bugs Bunny may have made them popular, but it is Popeye who wins the contest when it comes to eating spinach and eye health.

Below is the list of eye healthy foods that must be made a regular part of your diet.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Almonds

Vitamin E can help slow age-related macular degeneration (AMD) from getting worse. It can also help prevent formation of cataract. Almond is a good source of vitamin E.

Cashew Nuts

Cashews contain a powerful antioxidant pigment called Zeaxanthin, which forms a protective layer over our retina and saves it from the harmful effects of ultra violet rays. It also helps prevent age related macular degeneration and keeps our eyes healthy.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Ghee

Ghee is actually a great source of healthy fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, and K, that our body needs a supply of regularly. Vitamin A in it is essential to keep our eyesight sharp and skin moist and smiling with health.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Dairy

Dairy products such as milk and yogurt (specially from grass fed cows) is good for the eyes. They contain vitamin A as well as the mineral zinc. Vitamin A protects the cornea while zinc helps bring that vitamin to the eyes from the liver.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Broccoli

There is clear evidence now that foods rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin can help reduce the risk of inflammation of the eyes substantially. And broccoli is loaded with these. (So are spinach, kale, kiwi and corn). And basil leaves also give us both these antioxidants, so chew some everyday.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Egg Yolk

This yellow goodness is packed not just with lutein but also with other sight friendly nutrients like omega 3, zinc and vitamin E.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Indian Gooseberry (Amla)

Amla is loaded with C which helps improve the health of our eye tissue. As a bonus C also helps regenerate another important eye friendly antioxidant-vitamin E.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Jackfruit

Abundant A (and some flavonoid pigments like xanthin, lutein) in it helps maintain sharp eyes (and smooth skin). These keep vision-related problems like macular degeneration and night blindness away.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Makhanas

There are some reports where vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency has been linked to vision trouble, so incorporating B1 rich makhanas in our diet may be your answer for a super sharp vision too.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Oranges

Oranges and other citrus fruit contain vitamin C, which is key for eye health. It keeps our blood vessels in the eyes healthy and can combat the development of cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Papaya

Carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin in papaya provide protection to the retina of the eye. The beta carotene in that gives papaya its orange colour, and gets converted into the eye friendly vitamin A in the body, and is known to be effective in reducing the effect of macular degeneration.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Salmon

Lower inflammation rates of the eye are linked to higher circulating blood levels of EPA and DHA — essential omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and other fatty fish. Salmon also provides another antioxidant astaxanthin, which also provides protection against blindness.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Turmeric

Curcumin in this yellow wonder can protect our retina from free radicals that spur macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of vision loss.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Wheat Germ

They are loaded with the difficult to find zinc that enables vitamin A to create a pigment called melanin, which protects the eye.

(The writer is a nutritionist, weight management consultant and health writer based in Delhi. She is the author of Don't Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People (Jaico) and Ultimate Grandmother Hacks: 50 Kickass Traditional Habits for a Fitter You (Rupa).)

(Have you subscribed to FIT’s newsletter yet? Click here and get health updates directly in your inbox.)

(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)

Published: 
Speaking truth to power requires allies like you.
Become a Member
×
×