Eating for Eye Health

Do you eat for eye health?

Nutrition has an incredible impact on the health of your eyes. Many of us spend hours on our computers and rely heavily on good vision to get the job done. At the Lunchbox London we try our very best to give your eyes the nutrition they need to work well all day long.

Add more of these foods to your diet (or let us add them for you!) to keep your eyes healthy and functioning at their very best:

1. Orange fruits and vegetables: I’m taking sweet potatoes, carrots, mango, and cantaloupe

These brilliant foods contain tones of beta-carotene, which our bodies turn into vitamin A. This vitamin keeps your cornea (the outer layer of the eye) strong and clear and is used in the conversion of light to vision. People deficient in vitamin A have trouble adapting to low light environments and struggle to regain sight after a camera flash. In extreme cases, vitamin A deficiency can cause permanent blindness.

Try roasting sweet potatoes with oil and rosemary or mash with some maple syrup for a tasty side dish

2.    Dark green vegetables: Green smoothies are a great start, but you should also try munching on more asparagus, courgettes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and green peas.

These foods are filled with lutein and zeaxanthin. These two carotenoids work as antioxidants and have been found to reduce the progression of age-related macular degeneration (which impairs your central vision) and cataracts.

Looking for a quick appetizer? Chop courgettes into slices, top with tomato sauce and shredded cheese, bake for 10 minutes. Voila! Healthy mini pizzas!

3.    Oily fish, yes you know the ones, herring, mackerel, sardines, salmon, anchovies and tuna – look for lower mercury options.

Do you know that omega 3s can improve dry eyes and increase tear production? Omega 3s can cut down on inflammation in the eye and may reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Try jazzing up some mackerel by lightly frying it in a crispy oat coating.

4.    Pumpkin seeds! Don’t toss them away after pumpkin carving – rinse them off, dry them, coat them with a bit of oil and toast until lightly browned.

These little seeds are chock full of zinc providing nearly 40% of your daily requirements in a quarter cup (60 grams). Zinc helps move vitamin A from the liver to the eye and makes sure the eye use the vitamin A that it receives. Zinc deficiency has been linked impaired vision.

Add these seeds to granola, sprinkle on yogurt or stir-fries or experiment with them in homemade pesto.

5.    Nuts – particularly almonds, hazelnuts, and peanuts

Nuts are a great source of fat-soluble vitamin E, which acts as a powerful antioxidant. It can reduce the progression of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts by protecting the eye cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Nut butters are always a good idea (spread on apples or mix into yogurt) or add nuts to smoothies and baked goods.

6.    Red and green peppers

These veggies are bursting with vitamin C (move over orange juice!), which helps keep the tiny blood vessels in your eye healthy.

Toss some chopped peppers into your salsa, pop them on a skewer to roast or puree them into hummus.

Could you keep doing the job you do with poor vision?

Try to include a variety of the tasty foods listed above to keep your vision sharp day after day!