Just like every other part of the body, eyes age as we do. Poor diet, excess sun exposure, toxins, infections, and physical and emotional stressors cause wear and tear on the body, and often translate into poor eyesight. This wear and tear produces free radicals, unstable molecules that harm us at the cellular level. The eyes are prone to damage by free radicals. This damage may result in us having vision problems or suffering from age-related macular degeneration or other eye disorders, but you can help protect your eyes by making healthy food choices.

Antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, beta-carotene, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids protect against free radical damage that can harm our eyes. We can find these nutrients by consuming colourful fruits and vegetables that will protect our eyes and boost our overall health. We'll take a look at these closely.

Vitamin C and red peppers

Vitamin C is a nutrient critical for maintaining good eye health. Vitamin C has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help decrease the risk of age-related eye disease. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C for adult women is 75 milligrams per day and 90 milligrams per day for men. Raw red peppers have 95 milligrams of vitamin C per half cup. Other great food sources include orange juice, grapefruit juice, papayas, and strawberries. Vitamin C is heat sensitive and breaks down during cooking. Maximise your intake of vitamin C by eating fruits and veggies that contain these nutrients raw.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another antioxidant vitamin that is critical to eye health. Vitamin E is actually comprised of eight fat-soluble antioxidants called tocopherols. These nutrients help protect fats that make up cell membranes. The retina of the eye is rich in fatty acids, so antioxidant protection is critical for the eyes. The RDA for vitamin E is 15 milligrams per day for men and women. One-quarter cup of sunflower seeds contains 12 milligrams of vitamin E and almonds, peanuts, and peanut butter are also good sources of vitamin E.

Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy greens like collard greens, kale, and spinach are rich in vitamins C and E. They also have carotenoids called zeaxanthin and lutein. These are nutrients that help protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Broccoli, sweet corn, and romaine lettuce are good sources of these nutrients, too. These foods aren't just good for your eyes, but they help prevent other health problems, too.

Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon

DHA and EPA are beneficial fats known as omega-3 fatty acids. These fats combat inflammation and boost the health of blood vessels. They reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. Insufficient levels of these fats may contribute to dry eyes. Herring, salmon, and sardines provide ample amounts of DHA and EPA. Adequate omega-3 fatty acid intake is part of maintaining good nutrition.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral critical for the function of many enzymes in the body. You also need it to maintain healthy eyesight. Zinc functions as an antioxidant, boosts immune function, and is a constituent of cell membranes and proteins in the body. The RDA for zinc is eight milligrams per day for women and 11 milligrams per day for men. People who eat vegetarian diets absorb less zinc than those who eat meat. Three medium cooked oysters provide nearly 25 milligrams of zinc. Crabs, dark turkey, and dark chicken are other good sources of the important mineral. Zinc deficiency is associated with vision problems, immune system problems, skin problems, and psychological disorders.

Sources of Zinc

Animal products are high in zinc, but plant-based foods also supply this mineral. Beans and legumes are high in fiber, low in fat, and are great sources of vegetarian protein. They also supply zinc. Other good vegetarian dietary sources of zinc include yogurt, milk, corn flakes, cheese, cereal, cashews, and almonds. Eggs also contain zinc, which helps your body use lutein and zeaxanthin which are critical for maintaining good eye health.

Broccoli and Brussels sprouts

Broccoli and Brussels sprouts contain beneficial nutrients like lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and vitamins A, C, and E. These are nutrients that act as antioxidants. They scavenge free radicals, unstable molecules that can attack and damage healthy tissue. Retinal tissue is especially susceptible to free radical damage. It is important to eat foods rich in nutrients to protect eye health.

The sunshine vitamin

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin the body needs to absorb calcium, support bone growth, and modulate immune function and inflammation. There is some evidence that vitamin D also decreases the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Fatty fish like swordfish, tuna, and salmon contain vitamin D. Cod liver oil contains more. Smaller amounts of the vitamin are found in milk, beef liver, eggs, and cheese. Adult men and women need 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day. By far the best source of vitamin D is the sun. Your skin produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Just be careful not to get burned.