Did you know that there are certain foods that protect your eyes?
These shorter, fall days and longer nights remind us that we could be more intentional about supporting our vision and preventing night blindness. But did you know you could do that with your food?
There are three primary nutrients our eyes need to function healthfully. Think fighting-free-radical-damage and halting-disease kind of protection. Two are carotenoid antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which are found in the macula (center of the retina) and are responsible for detailed central vision. The third is omega 3 fats, also found inside the retina, offering both protective and structural support to our cell membranes.
Foods with these nutrients are usually green, deep orange, and yellow. Naturally that is. Green Christmas M&Ms don’t count! You don’t have to research these nutrients to figure out what to eat. Let’s keep it simple. Just eat colorfully, especially plenty of green, orange, and yellow. And check this out, you’ll probably notice that orange foods like butternut squash and dark leafy greens like collards are most abundant in the fall and winter, when nights are longer.
Nature provides the nutrients we need most in the present season.
She’s so smart, isn’t she? Bonus, foods grown in season are usually less expensive because they are more plentiful and easier to grow. They also taste better because they are fresher and likely grown locally, so there’s little transit time between harvest and your grocery basket. Yes and yes!
Enjoy green, orange, and yellow foods this fall and winter as they are available, like these:
- spinach, kale, collards, Swiss chard, broccoli, Brussel sprouts
- sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squash varieties
- orange and yellow bell peppers, mangos, apricots, oranges, lemons
Enjoy omega-3-rich foods like these to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and even dry eyes:
- pastured eggs and pastured butter
- wild caught salmon and sardines
- plus, walnuts, almonds, pistachios
Avoid foods with trans fats like margarine, fast food French fries, any processed foods with hydrogenated oils on the ingredient label. These highly inflammatory foods create a greater risk for macular degeneration, amongst many other health issues.
Eat colorfully and keep warm.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Breakfast: Open face whole grain toast topped with quick-sauteed greens (kale, chard, collards), and fried egg cooked in butter, side of raspberries or cherries
Lunch: Roasted Brussell sprouts with sweet potato lentil soup
Snack: Small handful of dried apricots and pistachios, cup of green tea
Dinner: Pan-seared teriyaki salmon, side of broccoli with olive oil, served over a bed of quinoa or brown rice. Add toasted, sliced almonds, parsley, and a spritz of lemon to garnish
