Blueberries: Superfood for Your Eyes
It’s funny that a fruit so small packs such a powerful punch for your health, but that’s exactly what blueberries do! Full of vitamins, zinc and antioxidants, blueberries should be ‘required eating’ for eye health. Move over carrots – there’s a new super food for your eyes!
Vitamin C
One cup of blueberries contains 14 milligrams of Vitamin C. Why is this important? Vitamin C is a critical nutrient for fighting free radicals. Free radicals damage your cells and your eyes are especially vulnerable to the harm they cause. Damage from these erratic molecules can play a role in the cause of eye diseases like glaucoma or advanced macular degeneration.
Vitamin C also reduces the intraocular pressure in your eyes, lowering your risk for glaucoma. Plus, it helps maintain the connective tissues in your eyes.
Vitamins A & E
Carrots were long thought to be a ‘super food’ for your eyes because of their Vitamin A content. Blueberries actually weigh in at 80 IU of Vitamin A per cup – not too shabby for a sweet little fruit!
Vitamin A is an important antioxidant which helps reduce inflammation throughout the body – your eyes included. If you have problems like dry eye, more vitamin A could be just what the doctor ordered.
Vitamin E is another antioxidant that works to stop the formation of cataracts. The existence of anthocyanin, the antioxidant flavonoids, in blueberries can also play a role in reducing or eliminating inflammation. Those with eye damage related to diabetic retinopathy or those who fight eye disease will benefit from the work of these flavonoids.
Zinc
Additionally, zinc protects your eyes from macular degeneration and helps your body absorb other vitamins. Zinc is a vitamin that boosts the effects of all the other vitamins you take.
Blueberries are the ultimate superfood for your eyes, so find ways to incorporate more blueberries into your diet today! There are endless ways you can enjoy blueberries: fruit smoothies, blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins, blueberry yogurt or just snacking on a handful of blueberries and almonds (another food that’s great for eye health). Your eyes will thank you for it!
