Eating for Eye Health

Your eyes require plant-based nutrients.

More than carrots are needed for healthy eyes. In fact, at least 30 different nutrients are required. While the body can make a few of these, most must come from food. “You may be thinking that it will be impossible to incorporate all thirty of these nutrients into you diet. However, let me reassure you - it is possible to get all these in your diet, and not that difficult,” says integrative ophthalmologist Rudrani Banik, MD, author of Beyond Carrots: Best Foods for Eye Health A to Z.¹

Nutrients for the eyes

Why do your eyes need so many nutrients? Your brain and eyes have the highest energy needs in the body. To produce this energy, your eyes need a lot of nutrients including the full B-vitamin complex, vitamins C and E and minerals. Your eyes must also protect against oxidative stress from the waste products of energy production, nutrient deficiencies, toxins and ultraviolet light. Fortunately, antioxidant nutrients combat the harmful effects of oxidative stress. Vision-protecting antioxidants include vitamins A, C and E; carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene; bioflavonoids and glutathione. In addition, your eyes need anti-inflammatory nutrients. These guard against eye damage from infections, leaky gut, poor diet, nutrient deficiencies and excess stress. Anti-inflammatories for eye health include omega-3 fats, vitamin D, curcumin, probiotics, prebiotics and a low-glycemic diet.²

Eating for the eyes

The best way to get the 30 nutrients needed for eye health is to focus on plant foods.

Consume a plant-based diet. “An eye-healthy diet is a plant-rich diet,” says Banik. Most of the 30 nutrients needed for eye health come from plants. Make plant foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices the foundation of your diet. Aim for two to four servings of fruit and five to ten servings of vegetables per day. Bigger eaters need more servings.³ A serving is one medium fruit, 1 cup of raw leafy greens, or one-half-cup of cooked or raw vegetables or fruit.

Eat a rainbow of colors. Plant foods come in red, orange, yellow, green, blue/black/purple and white/tan/brown colors. Each color group contains a different spectrum of phytonutrients. Plan to eat at least one serving from every color group daily.⁴

Avoid processed foods. Curtail consumption of refined foods like white bread, white rice and pastries. Cut down on added sweeteners, high glycemic foods and simple sugars such as sweetened beverages, juice with added sugars and sugary baked goods. Stay away from foods with chemical preservatives such as processed meats or snacks. Also limit pro-inflammatory foods such as fried foods and those laden with trans fat or omega-6 rich vegetable oils such as safflower or soybean oil.

Improve digestive health. Gut microbiome imbalances have been linked to inflammatory eye conditions. Support gut health with probiotics such as yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut or supplements. You also need prebiotics to feed your friendly gut bacteria. Prebiotics are found in fiber-rich plants like vegetables, fruit and legumes.⁵

Best foods for eye health

Besides carrots and yellow and orange squash, several foods standout for eye health. Bell peppers are one of them. The yellow and orange varieties are especially rich in the lutein and zeaxanthin needed for retinal health. They also provide vitamin C and beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. Next up are berries. All berries are rich in plant antioxidants called anthocyanins. They also contain vitamins C and A and have a low glycemic index, helping reduce oxidative damage. The cruciferous family of vegetables improves your eyes’ production of the antioxidant glutathione. Family members include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, radishes, kale and collard greens.

Dark leafy greens are superfoods for the eyes. They are loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin—which act as retinal antioxidants and anti-inflammatories—as well as vitamins A, C, K and folate. Eat at least one to two servings daily of a variety of greens such as arugula, bok choy, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard and watercress. Fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro and basil are great, too. Parsley is especially rich in lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin C. Lastly, green tea contains polyphenol antioxidants that help prevent retinal damage.⁶ Enjoy greens for healthy eyes.

This newsletter is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment; before adhering to any recommendations in this newsletter consult your healthcare provider.

1. Banik, Rudrani. Beyond Carrots: Best Foods for Eye Health A to Z. 2023. yttps://rudranibanikmd.com/beyondcarrots

2. See footnote 1.

3. Smoots, Elizabeth. Eat the Rainbow. Healthier You with Dr. Elizabeth Smoots, 2023. drsmoots.substack.com/p/eat-the-rainbow

4. See footnote 3.

5. See footnote 1.

6. See footnote 1.