We are what we eat. For a long time we have heard of this adage and understood that our health is, to a very large extent, dependent on the quality of our diet. But do you wonder if the food has anything to do with our eyesight? The simple answer would be a resounding yes. The health of your eyes is often dictated by how well your brain and heart are functioning, and hence food becomes an important factor as well. So, what’s the food you should avoid to ensure the health of your eyesight? Let’s find out:
Worst Food For Eyesight
Bread and Pasta
Simple carbohydrates, such as those in white bread and pasta, have been associated by researchers with an increased risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), one of the main causes of vision loss in the elderly. The explanation is that this kind of carb is rapidly digested by your body. You age more quickly as a result of this blood sugar spike.
Sweetened drinks
Up to seven to ten tablespoons of sugar can be found in soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, and other sweetened beverages. A higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and age-related macular degeneration can result from consuming this much added sugar.
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Fried Foods
Trans fat-cooked, deep-fried foods increase your cholesterol levels and can cause type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Additionally, they produce chemicals known as free radicals, which have the ability to harm and even destroy cells. All of this has to do with eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy and AMD. Consume vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, and red bell peppers, to combat free radicals.
Sodium
Consuming too much sodium in your diet can harm your eyes by raising your blood pressure (hypertension), which can harm the blood vessels in your eyes. If treatment for hypertensive retinopathy is not received, this damage may result in blindness or vision loss. Sodium-rich foods include:hot dogs, bacon, deli meat, canned foods.
Good Food For Eyesight
Vitamin A
An essential component of eye health is vitamin A. Rhodopsin, a protein that enables vision in low light, is produced with the help of this vital nutrient. Vitamin A-rich foods include: carrots, milk, liver, and potatoes.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C's ability to slow the development of cataracts is thought to be due to its antioxidant qualities. It has also been demonstrated that this vitamin slows the progression of macular degeneration. Vitamin C is present in all of the following foods: lemon, cauliflower, and cabbage.
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Zeaxanthin/Lutein
These are some of the best vitamins for improving vision. It has been demonstrated that foods high in lutein or zeaxanthin can slow the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. These can be very important because they absorb excess light energy and function as a natural sunblock. Additionally, they are believed to shield your eyes from the damaging blue lights that are present in digital displays, such as computer screens.Foods that contain zeaxanthin and lutein include: egg yolk, broccoli, corn and kale.
Bottomline
We are often conscious of the choices we make when it comes to taking care of our eyes and eyesight. We spend hours choosing the right lens, the right frame and the right screen, but are indifferent to the factor, which is more important than any of these. It is the food we eat. The eyesight degenerates with age and that’s a fact, but choosing the right food and making better health choices ensure that we delay that process and make sure it impacts us in the least.