Healthy Eyes – Eating Right for the Eyes

Here's a breakdown of vitamins and minerals essential to keep your eyes healthy and functioning properly.

Eye vitamins and supplements

An essential part of eye care is eating the right foods that contain the right vitamins to help keep the eyes health. There are a lot of eye diseases and eating the proper foods can lower the risk of these diseases.

Healthy Eyes – Antioxidants

Antioxidants help prevent many diseases affecting not only the heart, immune system, cancer but also the eyes. Antioxidants include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A. These antioxidants can help prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration, cataracts, and other eye diseases. Good sources of antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables, with the highly pigmented ones having a higher concentration. So when picking fruits and vegetables notice the color and chose the ones with more color to them. Concentrations of antioxidants are more abundant in raw form and are loss through the cooking, canning, drying, and freezing. Obtaining too much of these antioxidants will also cause different negative effects, so it is a must to be watchful of amounts taken.

Antioxidants – Vitamin A for healthy eyes

Vitamin A is an antioxidant found in foods made from animals which includes liver and eggs and in fruits and vegetables like carrots and spinach. Most types of milk are also fortified with vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential to proper functioning of the retina. It also helps prevent night blindness by helping the eye to adapt between bright light and darkness. Vitamin A also helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and the forming of cataracts. With AMD and cataracts being the leading causes of visual impairment and with the number of people to be affected increasing, getting a good amount of Vitamin A is essential to the eye’s health and beauty.

Selected Animal Sources of Vitamin A

Food	IU/ International Units	%DV *
Liver, beef, cooked, 3 oz	30,325	610
Liver, chicken, cooked, 3 oz	13,920	280
Egg substitute, fortified, 1/4 cup	1355	25
Fat free milk, fortified with vitamin A, 1 cup	500	10
Cheese pizza, 1/8 of a 12″ diameter pie	380	8
Milk, whole, 3.25% fat, 1 cup	305	6
Cheddar cheese, 1 ounce	300	6
Whole egg, 1 medium	280	6
% DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). They were developed to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. The DV for vitamin A is 5,000 IU (1,500 micrograms retinol). Most food labels do not list a food’s vitamin A content. The percent DV (%DV) listed on the table above indicates the percentage of the DV provided in one serving. Percent DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Foods that provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

Selected Plant Sources of Vitamin A (from beta-carotene)

Food	IU/ International Units	%DV *
Carrot, 1 raw (7 1/2 inches long)	20,250	410
Carrots, boiled, 1/2 cup slices	19,150	380
Carrot juice, canned, 1/2 cup	12,915	260
Sweet potatoes, canned , drained solids, 1/2 cup	7,015	140
Spinach, frozen, boiled, 1/2 cup	7,395	150
Mango, raw, 1 cup sliced	6,425	130
Vegetable soup, canned, chunky, ready-to-serve, 1 cup	5,880	115
Cantaloupe, raw, 1 cup	5,160	100
Kale, frozen, boiled, 1/2 cup	4,130	80
Spinach, raw, 1 cup	2,015	40
Apricot nectar, canned, 1/2 cup	1,650	35
Oatmeal, instant, fortified, plain, prepared with water, 1 packet	1,510	30
Tomato juice, canned, 6 ounces	1,010	20
Apricots, with skin, juice pack, 2 halves	610	10
Pepper, sweet, red, raw, 1 ring, 3 inches in diameter by 1/4-inch thick	570	10
Peas, frozen, boiled, 1/2 cup	535	10
Peach, raw, 1 medium	525	10
Peaches, canned, water pack, 1/2 cup halves or slices	470	10
Papaya, raw, 1 cup cubes	400	8
*DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). They were developed to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. The DV for vitamin A is 5,000 IU (1,500 micrograms retinol). Most food labels do not list a food’s vitamin A content. The percent DV (%DV) listed on the table above indicates the percentage of the DV provided in one serving. Percent DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Foods that provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

Tables provided by www.nih.gov

Antioxidants – Vitamin C

Vitamin C does it all. It strengthens your bones and muscles, keeps our immune system in good shape, keeps our teeth and gums healthy, reduces the risk of many diseases and it is no surprise that it is essential to keeping the eyes healthy. Vitamin C is another antioxidant that also helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and the forming of cataracts. Vitamin C, as we all know, cannot only be found in citrus fruits and of course orange juice, but also green peppers, strawberries, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.

Table of Selected Food Sources of Vitamin C

Food	Mg	%DV*
Papaya, 1	187.87 mg	250.5
Green Bell Pepper, 1 cup raw	82.16	109.5
Strawberries, 1 cup	81.65 mg	108.9
Orange, 1	69.69 mg	92.9
Broccoli, 1 cup raw	66.17 mg	88.2
Sweet Potato, 1 cup	49.20	65.6
Red Chili Peppers, 2 tsp	3.84 mg	5.1

Antioxidants – Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another antioxidant that does it all. Consuming a rich amount of Vitamin E helps prevent or reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, coronary heart disease, and help protect against different types of cancers. For eye care, Vitamin E has been associated with the prevention of cataracts and the delaying of cataract growth. The best sources of Vitamin E are nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fortified products such as cereal.

Table of Selected Food Sources of Vitamin E

Food	International Units	%DV*
Wheat germ oil, 1 Tb	26.2	90
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 oz	7.5	25
Safflower oil, 1 TB	4.7	15
Corn oil, 1 TB	2.9	10
Soybean oil, 1 TB	2.5	8
Turnip greens, frozen, boiled, 1/2 c	2.4	8
Mango, raw, without refuse,1 fruit	2.3	8
Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 oz	2.1	8
Mixed nuts w/ peanuts, oil roasted, 1 oz	1.7	6
Mayonnaise, made w/ soybean oil, 1 TB	1.6	6
Broccoli, frozen, chopped, boiled, 1/2 c	1.5	6
Dandelion greens, boiled, 1/2 c	1.3	4
Pistachio nuts, dry roasted, 1 oz	1.2	4
Spinach, frozen, boiled, 1/2 c	0.85	2
Kiwi, 1 medium fruit	0.85	2
* DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). They were developed to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. The DV for vitamin E is 30 International Units (or 20 mg). The percent DV (%DV) listed on the nutrition facts panel of food labels tells adults what percentage of the DV is provided by one serving. Percent DVs are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Foods that provide lower percentages of the DV will contribute to a healthful diet.

Tables provided by www.nih.gov

Minerals – Selenium and Zinc

Selenium and Zinc are two key minerals that help the oxidation process. They help the body absorb antioxidants and getting daily values of these minerals help antioxidants in the prevention of eye diseases. Zinc can be found in cheese, yogurt, red meat, pork, and certain fortified cereals. Selenium can be found in walnuts, enriched breads and rice, and macaroni and cheese. As with antioxidants, getting too much of these minerals can cause problems.

Table of Selected Food Sources of Selenium

Food	Micrograms	% DV*
Brazil nuts, dried, unblanched, 1 oz	840	1200
Tuna, canned in oil, drained, 3 1/2 oz	78	111
Beef / calf liver, 3 oz	48	69
Cod, cooked, dry heat, 3 oz	40	57
Noodles, enriched, boiled, 1 c	35	50
Macaroni and cheese (box mix), 1 c	32	46
Turkey, breast, oven roasted, 3 1/2 oz	31	44
Macaroni,elbow, enriched, boiled, 1 c	30	43
Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, 1 c	25	36
Chicken, meat only, 1/2 breast	24	34
Beef chuck roast, lean only, oven roasted, 3 oz	23	33
Bread, enriched, whole wheat, 2 slices	20	29
Oatmeal, 1 c cooked	16	23
Egg, raw, whole, 1 large	15	21
Bread, enriched, white, 2 slices	14	20
Rice, enriched, long grain,cooked, 1 c	14	20
Cottage cheese, lowfat 2%, 1/2 c	11	16
Walnuts, black, dried, 1 oz	5	7
Cheddar cheese, 1 oz	4	6
*DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). They were developed to help consumers determine if a food contains very much of a specific nutrient. The DV for selenium is 70 micrograms (mcg). The percent DV (%DV) listed on the nutrition facts panel of food labels tells adults what percentage of the DV is provided by one serving. Even foods that provide lower percentages of the DV will contribute to a healthful diet.

Table of Selected Food Sources of Zinc

Food	Milligrams	%DV*
Oysters, battered and fried, 6 medium	16.0	100
Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Breakfast cereal, fortified with 100% of the DV for zinc per serving, 3/4 c serving	15.0	100
Beef shank, lean only, cooked 3 oz	8.9	60
Beef chuck, arm pot roast, lean only, cooked, 3 oz	7.4	50
Beef tenderloin, lean only, cooked, 3 oz	4.8	30
Pork shoulder, arm picnic, lean only, cooked, 3 oz	4.2	30
Beef, eye of round, lean only, cooked, 3 oz	4.0	25
RTE Breakfast cereal, fortified with 25% of the DV for zinc per serving, 3/4 c	3.8	25
RTE Breakfast cereal, complete wheat bran flakes, 3/4 c serving	3.7	25
Chicken leg, meat only, roasted, 1 leg	2.7	20
Pork tenderloin, lean only, cooked, 3 oz	2.5	15
Pork loin, sirloin roast, lean only, cooked, 3 oz	2.2	15
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 1 c	2.2	15
Baked beans, canned, with pork, 1/2 c	1.8	10
Baked beans, canned, plain or vegetarian, 1/2 c	1.7	10
Cashews, dry roasted w/out salt, 1 oz	1.6	10
Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 1 c	1.6	10
Pecans, dry roasted w/out salt, 1 oz	1.4	10
Raisin bran, 3/4 c	1.3	8
Chickpeas, mature seeds, canned, 1/2 c	1.3	8
Mixed nuts, dry roasted w/peanuts, w/out salt, 1 oz	1.1	8
Cheese, Swiss, 1 oz	1.1	8
Almonds, dry roasted, w/out salt, 1 oz	1.0	6
Walnuts, black, dried, 1 oz	1.0	6
Milk, fluid, any kind, 1 c	.9	6
Chicken breast, meat only, roasted, 1/2 breast with bone and skin removed	0.9	6
Cheese, cheddar, 1 oz	0.9	6
Cheese, mozzarella, part skim, low moisture, 1 oz	0.9	6
Beans, kidney, California red, cooked, 1/2 c	0.8	6
Peas, green, frozen, boiled, 1/2 c	0.8	6
Oatmeal, instant, low sodium, 1 packet	0.8	6
Flounder/sole, cooked, 3 oz	0.5	4
* DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). They were developed to help consumers determine if a food contains very much of a specific nutrient. The DV for zinc is 15 milligrams (mg). The percent DV (%DV) listed on the nutrition facts panel of food labels tells adults what percentage of the DV is provided in one serving. Percent DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Foods that provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

Tables provided by www.nih.gov

Eating the right foods is essential to healthy eyes. These antioxidants and minerals can help keep our eyes stay healthy.

This article was last updated on 01/2013