How Carotenoids Can Improve Your Eyesight
Ever wonder how something in nature, like, say, a carrot, a mango, or a pumpkin gets to be so bright and beautiful? There’s a reason why some of our favorite plants, fruits, and veggies are so vibrantly colored, and the reason is carotenoids, which play a vital role in preserving your vision!
So, what ARE carotenoids, and why do they matter?
Carotenoids are the red, orange, and yellow organic pigments in plants, fruits, vegetables, algae, and several bacteria. These pigments help plants absorb the light energy that plays an essential role in photosynthesis. Perhaps most importantly for humans, carotenoids function as antioxidants that restrict the proliferation of free radicals, which can damage your hearing, your vision, and several other essential processes. (1)
Where your vision is concerned, the most important carotenoids are lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin. All three of these carotenoids are found in the macula in your eyes, and they play an essential role in absorbing blue light, roughly 90% of it. This is a huge deal, especially when you consider that age-related macular degeneration, caused by chronic exposure to blue light frequencies that damage the macula, is one of the leading causes of vision-loss. (2)
Long story short, eat as many fruit and veggies as you can, especially the yellow, red, and orange ones!
Which foods are richest in carotenoids?
Again, pretty much any fruit or vegetable that’s red, yellow, or orange, is rich in carotenoids, but there are other foods that aren’t as bright in color that also contain them. Here’s a truncated list courtesy of WebMD: apricots, asparagus, beef liver, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, corn, guava, kale, mangoes, mustard and collard greens, nectarines, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon. (3)
And while it’s great news that there are so many delicious fruits and vegetables that can play an essential role in protecting your vision, it’s also true that sometimes you find yourself in a hurry, and sometimes it’s hard to eat healthy, which is why we’re happy to say that Lucid Vision contains both Lutein and Zeaxanthin! So start taking these important steps to protect your vision today!
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