Can Spinach Save Your Eyesight?

Macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss, and affects one in four people as they age. Can spinach protect you?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60. While it doesn’t always cause total blindness, macular degeneration slowly affects your central vision, the part that is crucial for recognizing faces and doing detailed work.

At first, you may simply have blurred vision or a need for more light when you’re reading. Then, straight lines may begin to appear crooked, and dark or empty spaces may begin to block your central vision, similar to a blindspot when you’re driving.

Eating foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin can lower your risk of macular degeneration, so if you value your eyesight, listen up.

To get the benefits of these antioxidants, some researchers believe you need to eat about 6 mg a day. But the amount of lutein and zeaxanthin needed to treat macular degeneration rises to about 11-12 mg per day. Yet, most people are not getting nearly this much. Federal surveys have found that the average American consumes only about 2 mg of lutein daily.

Lutein is found in high amounts in:

Kale and spinach

Turnip and collard greens

Romaine lettuce

Broccoli

Zucchini

Brussels sprouts

Peas

These are all great sources; however, your best source of these antioxidants is actually not on that list.

Egg Yolks are one of the Best Foods for Your Eyes.

There is about 0.25 mg of lutein in each egg yolk -- in a highly absorbable nearly ideal form, especially if you don't cook it. Egg yolks also have zeaxanthin in an equal amount. Quite simply, the lutein in egg yolks is superior because it is more easily absorbed by your body. A study in the Journal of Nutrition even proved this.

The researchers gave 10 volunteers different sources of lutein (spinach, eggs or one of two types of lutein supplements, each of which provided 6 mg of lutein per day), and the eggs were the best. Those who ate eggs as their lutein source had blood levels of lutein that were about three times higher than that of those who ate other lutein sources.

How to Get the Most Lutein and Zeaxanthin in Your Diet

No matter what source you choose, the absolute key to making sure you receive the benefits of the nutrients in these foods is to consume them RAW. Once you heat spinach or eggs, the lutein and zeaxanthin become damaged -- and they will not perform as well in preventing degeneration of your macula.

Additionally, the accessory micronutrients in the foods that enhance their action will also be damaged. So if you want to make sure your eyes stay healthy, add a few raw egg yolks and some raw leafy greens, according to your nutritional type, to your daily diet.

Finally, you may also take some natural supplements to protect your eyesight. BioVision, in high concentrations of antioxidants formula can significantly reduce the risk of age-related eye problems. For more information please visit: http://myehelps.com.