This Month's Reader Question:
Is eating carrots really good for your eyesight?
- Dan
Rocklin, CA
Superior Vision Panel Expert Lori Hemmingsen-Souza, RN, Responds:
Good nutrition, indeed, plays an important part in you vision and eye health. So, how exactly does eating carrots give you good vision? In scientific studies, it has been shown that Vitamin A plays a significant role in good eyesight and preventing certain adverse eye conditions from developing.
Eating foods rich in Vitamin A can:
- prevent the formation of cataracts,
- play a role in preventing macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness,
- prevent the condition "night blindness"
What foods are rich in Vitamin A? There are two types of food sources that contain Vitamin A: plant products and animal products that contain carotene, which turns into Vitamin A once it has been eaten and digested in our bodies. And yep, you guessed it... carrots are full of carotene!
The list below outlines common foods that are pretty high in Vitamin A:
| Foods Rich in Vitamin A |
|---|
| Food | Serving Size |
|---|
| Cod liver oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Liver, beef | 4 ounces |
| Liver, chicken | 1 liver |
| Butternut squash | 1 cup cubed |
| Cantaloupe | 1 cup cubed |
| Carrot | 1 carrot |
| Kale | 1 cup chopped |
| Mango | 1 mango |
| Red Pepper | 1 cup chopped |
| Sweet Potato | 1 sweet potato |
And it is important to know that eating these foods "raw" will deliver the most of the nutrient serving listed. Cooking will change the nutritional value and destroy the beta-carotenes / Vitamin A in foods. If you do not have fresh foods readily available, then shop for frozen rather than canned. Use extra caution if using beta-carotene supplements, as studies suggest that they may increase the incidence of some forms of cancer, particularly lung cancer.
Rule of thumb: eat a balanced diet that included Vitamin A from food sources.
If you smoke cigarettes, or drink alcoholic beverages, it is important to remember to eat more foods rich in Vitamin A. Tobacco actually inhibits the absorption of Vitamin A, and drinking alcohol depletes your body of this very important vitamin.
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