Eat Healthy – Improve Your Eyesight | Jenine Lillian

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improve-eyesightHealth and fitness are determined by what you eat. Coming in a close second is how much you exercise and train. What you eat is thus of extreme importance if you want to become healthy and benefit from all the pros of being fit. In this article we will concentrate on foods that affect the body, and more specifically an often neglected and overlooked aspect of health, your eyesight.

Foods that improve eyesight

A common remedy for improving eyesight is the carrot. Everyone’s heard the time-old tale of mothers telling their children to finish their carrots, because carrots are good for your eyes. Now, carrots have been known to work wonders on the eyes, but the reason is not just limited to the humble carrot.

A form of Vitamin A called retinol, or retinyl palmitate, can be found in certain vegetables, as well as yellow and orange fruits. Retinyl, when attached to a certain protein, is the primary light absorber in the human eye, located in the retina of the eye. So by eating carrots, and other fruits and vegetables containing retinol, on a daily basis, you will help maintain your eye’s light absorbing function, thus maintaining your ability to see clearly.

Foods that damage eyesight

Unfortunately, there are few products in the common kitchen that will directly damage your eyesight. Recent research on the topic, however, shows an increased risk in eating excessive amounts of Asian fast food and takeout.

A substance called monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG and generally used to flavor processed Asian foods, has been proven to cause damage to the retina of the eye. In 2002, researchers at the Hirosaki University in Japan were able to successfully prove that MSG binds to molecules on cells in the retina, not only destroying them, but also ultimately causing reduced transmitting abilities of electrical signals by the remaining cells.

So remember, always add vegetables and fruits to your daily diet. Secondly, visit your optometrist regularly to get your eyes checked. And thirdly, try not to eat too much Chinese takeout!