A recent
analysis tracking more than 100,000 individuals for over 20 years has found
that persons who consume a diet rich in orange and dark green vegetables have
lower rates of severe age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD, in which the center part of the retina
fails, is one of the most common causes of vision loss. In previous studies, carotenoids, the
pigments responsible for the bright orange and dark green colors of vegetables and
fruits have been linked to fewer age-related vision problems.
In this recent
analysis researchers tracked the dietary patterns and health outcomes of adults
age 50 and older. They found people who consumed vegetables rich in phyto-pigments
lutein and zeaxanthin most frequently, had a 40% lower risk of advanced AMD
compared to those who consumed these foods least frequently. Those consuming a diet highest in pigments cryptoxanthin,
alpha carotene, and beta carotene had a 35% decreased risk of advanced AMD. The
researchers noted that carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and others
concentrate in the macula, where they are thought to help protect it from the harmful
effects of oxygen and sunlight.
What to do: Consume a diet rich in a variety of fruits
and vegetables. The foods highest in
lutein and zeaxanthin include winter and
summer squash, peas, corn, beet greens, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, romaine, kale, asparagus, goji berries, and carrots. Rich food sources
of cryptoxanthin and alpha- and beta-carotene are generally orange including
carrots, orange & red peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, winter squash,
papayas, and tangerines.
Adapted from article available at:
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_155057.html
Source:
Wu J, Cho E, Willett WC, Sastry SM, & Schaumberg
DA. Intakes of lutein, zeaxanthin, and other carotenoids and age-related
macular degeneration during 2 decades of prospective follow-up. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online ahead of
print October 08, 2015. DOI:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2015.3590.
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