Let’s celebrate World Pistachio Day by diving deep into the benefits of pistachios for eye health. Pistachios are a nutritional powerhouse, both for their satisfying flavour and texture as well as their high concentration of lutein. This strong antioxidant is important for eye well-being and may help protect against developing senescence-related dry macular degeneration (ARMD). Let’s discuss the role lutein plays in eye health and how pistachios—an easy snack—could be contributing to a diet that’s good for your eyes.
Eyesight begins to deteriorate as people get older. However, a new study demonstrates how eating pistachios daily can assist in enhancing vision and prevent age-related visual issues. Recent findings from Tufts University indicate that consuming just 2 ounces of pistachios daily may significantly benefit eye health by boosting antioxidant levels.
The research study, centered around the pistachios grown in America, was funded by American Pistachio Growers and conducted at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University. In it, the researchers discovered that pistachios are found to be rich in lutein, a plant pigment with chemical properties linked to MPOD. This plays an extremely pivotal role, particularly because the component in the eye that filters out harmful blue light, which has been linked to age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among older adults.
The outcomes of this study are timely, given that the American Foundation for the Blind recently surveyed Americans about their fears surrounding vision loss.
Findings of the Study
Improves Eye Health in 6 Weeks:
Six weeks of two ounces of pistachios improve the eyesight of older and middle-aged individuals alike.
Rich in Lutein – Powerful Antioxidants
Pistachios rank first among nuts in their content of lutein, which is the potent antioxidant that filters blue light before it causes damage to the eye. Research showed that eating pistachios would almost double the lutein intake needed and greatly increase lutein levels in the blood.
Protect Against Age-Related Vision Issues
The report depicts that pistachios could immunize against age-related macular degeneration (AMD)—a leading cause of vision loss among older people.
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How does Pistachio help in improving eye health?
As per Dr. Tammy Scott, a research and clinical neuropsychologist and lead author of the study, “Lutein is an antioxidant that acts like sunglasses for your eyes. She says lutein is preferentially concentrated in the retina and helps filter out damaging blue light coming from computer screens and sunlight and may help protect against the damage done to the eye’s delicate structures.
Dr. Scott said, “By simply incorporating a handful of pistachios into your diet, you can improve your intake of lutein, which is crucial for protecting your eyes.”Pistachios are also a source of healthy fat, which may help the body to absorb lutein from pistachios better, she adds.
More Than Just Eye Health
Not only are pistachios satisfying to the eye, but they also have a variety of other antioxidants and plant compounds that may contribute to healthful ageing, including brain health. “As in the retina, lutein selectively accumulates into the brain, where it may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation,” notes Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, a co-investigator in the study. So, they are very good snack options for persons who want to lead a healthy life.
On behalf of American Pistachio Growers, Dr. Varun Katyal, Nutritionist and Health expert, said, “A new study from researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University has found that consuming pistachios daily may significantly improve eye health by increasing macular pigment optical density (MPOD), due to the plant pigment lutein, a key factor in protecting the eyes from blue (visible) light and age-related damage.”
Talking about the randomized controlled trial, Dr. Varun added that A randomized controlled trial found that consuming 2 ounces (57 grams) of pistachios daily for 12 weeks, along with a regular diet, significantly boosted MPOD in healthy middle-aged to older adults. MPOD is crucial for the protection of healthy eyes by shielding the retina from damage and, consequently, preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of vision loss in older people.