The Best Foods for Healthy Eyes and Good Vision

Diet plays an important role in maintaining eye health, as it does for all other parts of the body. In this article, I will talk about the foods you should eat and why vitamins and minerals are so important for eye health.

Many people eat healthy to improve things like digestion, immune system, weight, skin, and mood, but many forget that diet is important for keeping eyes healthy and maintaining good vision. Knowing what foods to eat for good eye health is really important: a wide range of different vitamins and minerals are essential for eye health, so you need to make sure your diet covers all of these needs.

The most important vitamins and minerals for eye health are vitamins A, C and E, zinc and carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin. Omega-3 fatty acids are also important.

What foods should you eat to keep your eyes healthy?

Here is my list of essential foods to maintain good eye health:

Red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes as well as citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons are excellent sources of vitamin C and beta-carotenes, which help support your production of connective tissues like collagen. They also act as natural antioxidants, protecting your eyes from degeneration caused by oxidative stress.

Purple fruits and vegetables , like purple carrots, are often high in carotenoids, which are especially beneficial for eye health.

Leafy greens like kale and spinach contain a host of important vitamins and minerals like lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, and vitamins E and C. Other green vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts also contain plenty lutein and zeaxanthin.

Sweet potatoes and carrots are excellent sources of vitamin A. But did you know that 100 g of cod liver oil contains more than six times more vitamin A than 100 g of carrots? Of course, consuming this much cod liver oil in a single day is risky, with the common recommendation being no more than 3g per day.

Fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, salmon and trout are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Check out our fish recipes for ideas on how to put more fish on the menu.

For those of you who are vegetarians , walnuts, flaxseeds, soybeans, and tofu are all equally high in omega-3s. One of my favorite tofu dishes is Marinated Tofu Stir Fry. You can also try making your own Savory Tofu Skewers .

Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E and zinc and make great healthy snacks.

Oysters contain a huge amount of zinc, so if you can tolerate them, eat more!

Why are these vitamins and minerals important?

However, I cannot tell you which foods to eat and which vitamins and minerals to favor without giving you the reason. So here’s why these vitamins in particular are important for your eye health: