Vegan foods for eye health

Did you know research suggests eating eggs can help boost eye health because eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in egg yolks? Since eggs aren’t part of a vegan diet, can you improve your vision health without them? Read on to find out.

Antioxidants for eye health
A landmark study published in the British medical journal BMC Ophthalmology, indicates that a combination of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent AMD-related vision loss. Participants in the study were taking a supplement called TOZAL Eye Health Formula that is rich in the vision-boosting nutrients. But packing your diet with antioxidant- and omega-3-rich foods (ground flax is vegan-friendly) can also help ward off eye-related disease, such as macular degeneration.

Eating for vital vision
In the new book The Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods(Alpha, July 2011), authors Victoria Shanta Retelny, RD, LDN, and Jovanka JoAnn Millivojevic promote dark leafy greens for vision health. Dark leafies are a nutrient-packed source of the eye-protecting antioxidants, more specifically caretenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. “Like fairy dust, these caretenoids deposit in the macula of your eyes and give them color (pigment),” explain the authors. “Macular pigment helps fend off [age-related macular degeneration]; it helps harmful wavelengths of light, thus reducing free-radical damage in the central retina.”

Vegan foods for eye health
According to Retelny and Milivojevic these are the best foods to ward off vision problems:

• Beet greens

• Brussels sprouts

• Kale

• Spinach

• Collard greens

• Turnip greens

Though these dark leafy greens are excellent sources of vision-boosting antioxidants, eat a wide variety of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables for your eye health. The more antioxidants you consume, the better chances you have of warding off major chronic illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease.

More vegan lifestyle tips!

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Tips for vegan gluten-free baking
Vegan beauty: Healthy skin tips