Good Eye Health Starts with Good Food
Kids these days have more eye-related problems since the load placed on the eye has significantly increased. Not only has the quantum of school work increased, new technology has also led to massive eye strain. The increasing emphasis on competition, at an even earlier age, has led to excess pressure on their developing system.
Good eye health starts with the food on your plate. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E delay the vision problems. Foods to include in yours kid's diet for good eye health:
1. Leafy & Dark Greens Vegetables
Kale, spinach, and collard greens, for example, are rich in both vitamins C and E. They also have the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. These plant-based forms of vitamin A lower your risk of long-term eye diseases, including AMD and cataracts. Most people who eat Western diets don't get enough of them.
2. Eggs
The zinc in an egg will help your body use the lutein and zeaxanthin from its yolk. The yellow-orange color of these compounds blocks harmful blue light from damaging your retina. They help boost the amount of protective pigment in the macula, the part of your eye that controls central vision.
3. Nuts and legumes
Nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts also contain a high level of vitamin E, which can protect the eye from age-related damage.Nuts and legumes that are good for eye health include: walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashew, peanuts, lentils.
4. Carrots
Carrots are rich in both Vitamin A and beta carotene. Beta carotene gives carrots their orange color.
5. Sweet Potatoes
This bright-orange root vegetable provides beta carotene, just like carrots. For an easy and fun way to get your vitamins, cut a sweet potato in thin strips. Roast the strips in the oven with a little olive oil and your choice of spices and you'll soon be enjoying sweet potato fries.
Vitamin A plays an essential role in vision. It is a component of a protein called rhodopsin, which helps the retina to absorb light.
6. Chia Seeds
Add some chia seeds to your diet. Chia seeds contain more omega 3s than flax seeds or salmon, more calcium than a glass of milk, and more antioxidants than blueberries. They are also a great way to get more fiber into your diet.