Carrots & Eye Health: Myth or Fact?
You've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes, and it's true. Carrots are a super source of beta-carotene—and that's a start. But it takes a whole lot more to protect your irreplaceable vision.
In an ideal eye-healthy world, you wear UV-blocking shades and put them on your kids, get regular dilated eye exams, exercise, and try not to rub your eyes too much, and you nourish your eyes from the inside out.
What Does Research Say About Carrots & Eye Health?
Paul Bernstein, MD, PhD, was a principal investigator in two benchmark studies known as the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS 1 and AREDS2), which zeroed in on the effects of certain antioxidants for eye health, including:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Beta-carotene
- Zinc
- Lutein
- Zeaxanthin
The AREDS studies focused on people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD)—a disease that takes away the detail and color at the center of vision, blocking out letters and faces. The studies concluded that patients with moderate and advanced AMD could benefit from antioxidant supplements.
"If you don't have AMD, we don't see a need to take high-dose supplements, but no matter what, it is always wise to focus on a good heart- and eye-healthy diet," Bernstein notes.
And that healthy diet includes carrots.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers on specific foods that are good for your eyes.
Eat a Rainbow for Good Eye Health Nutrition
Your eyes rely on tiny arteries for oxygen and nutrients, just as your heart relies on much larger arteries. That means you get a two-for-one benefit when you eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables as well as omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods like salmon, tuna, and sardines.
In addition to carrots (sweet potatoes have even more beta-carotene) and other vegetables, fruits, cold-water fish, vitamin and mineral-rich foods, including eggs, beans, nuts, lean red meats, and poultry, all contribute to better vision at all stages of life.
- Vitamin A: Orange-colored fruits and vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots
- Vitamin C: Tomatoes of every color, citrus fruits, peaches, red bell peppers, strawberries
- Vitamin E: Leafy green vegetables rich in lutein and zeaxanthin (egg yolks are another excellent source of lutein), avocados, broccoli, zucchini, almonds
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish like fresh or canned salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, and sardines. Plant-based sources include nuts and seeds like flax and chia.
- Zinc: Legumes including black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lima beans
Tips to Adding Eye-Healthy Foods to Your Diet
- Slice ripe tomatoes, sprinkle them with chopped fresh basil, and add a splash of your favorite vinegar.
- Top roasted or steamed asparagus, polenta, or whole-grain toast and sliced avocado with a poached or sunny-side-up egg.
- Add cooked kale or spinach to scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, rice, and pasta dishes.
- Slice peaches or nectarines and sprinkle your favorite nuts and seeds over oatmeal or any cereal.
- Stack arugula on your canned tuna or salmon sandwich.
- Toss green salads with canned salmon, cherry tomatoes, and hard-cooked eggs.
- Top ice cream with fresh berries or sliced Bing cherries.
