Eat Well, See Well: Minnesota Grown Produce Delivers a Boost

At about age 40, people often start to notice slight changes in their eyesight. Some of those changes may be hereditary, such as glaucoma, but some can be attributed to environment and lifestyle. High blood pressure, diabetes, a high cholesterol level, smoking and overexposure to ultraviolet light can age all parts of the eye, which can affect (diminish) your eyesight.

Certain types of diets accelerate that aging process, while other eating styles can protect against it.

• Foods that are harmful: They're the foods you'd expect. If your diet is rich in fatty, high-sugar, ultra-processed foods and heavy in meat, the integrity and health of your blood vessels, including those in your eyes, suffer. Those eating styles can also encourage inflammation in your body, which damages cells.
   
• Foods that are beneficial: The usual suspects apply here as well. A Mediterranean style of eating filled with fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains and healthful fats is the way to go. Foods rich in vitamin C (bell peppers, berries, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kiwi and citrus fruits), vitamin E (oils, nuts, seeds and avocado) and zinc (nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, yogurt and fish) are particularly eye-friendly.

Two phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables, lutein and zeaxanthin (pronounced zee-uh-ZAN-thin), are especially suited to eye health. Unlike other eye-helping nutrients, these two are stored in the lens, retina and macula of your eye and act as protective shields against ultraviolet rays as well as the blue light emitted from digital screens and fluorescent and LED lighting. They help repair damaged cells and can calm inflammation. Having low reserves of lutein and zeaxanthin in your eyes can enhance damage to the eye. The typical American diet provides 1-3 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin per day combined; it's recommended that our diets provide 6 mg per day.

Food rich in lutein and zeaxanthin:

• Corn
• Zucchini and yellow squash
• Spinach, Swiss chard, lettuce greens, kale and collards
• Peas (green, sugar snap and snow peas)
• Asparagus
• Carrots
• Brussels sprouts
• Bell peppers
• Kiwi
• Red grapes
• Pistachios
• Egg (yolks)

Try these two recipes featuring Minnesota Grown vegetables. They're delicious, local, easy to make and rich in both lutein and zeaxanthin. All in favor, say "eye"!