It’s almost Thanksgiving, a day full of fun, family, and food. When you’re sitting down to eat, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is eye health, but many foods you will enjoy at your Thanksgiving table can help promote eye health.
Whether you’re preparing the Thanksgiving feast, traveling to spend the holiday with loved ones, or enjoying a cozy evening at home, we want to help you choose foods that keep your eyes healthy and vibrant during the holiday season. This article will discuss why Thanksgiving foods are good for your vision and explore foods that can benefit your vision.
Thanksgiving Foods and Eye Health
A Thanksgiving table full of delicious foods may not appear to be the best holiday for your waistline, but it can benefit your vision. Thanksgiving foods contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients to help keep your eyes healthy.
Think of your plate as a rainbow by loading it up with fruits and vegetables of various colors. This can ensure you are getting a variety of these vitamins and nutrients that can benefit your eyes and the rest of your body.
Fruits and vegetables are packed with carotenoids, which is an antioxidant that helps protect your eyes from cellular damage as you age. Along with carotenoids, here are some other vitamins and nutrients that you’ll find in common Thanksgiving foods:
- Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to help age-related vision loss.
- Zinc is a trace mineral that helps vitamin A protect your eyes.
- Vitamin C can slow down age-related macular degeneration and lower your risk of cataracts.
- Vitamin E helps protect against the breakdown of healthy tissue.
- Lutein and Zeaxanthin both help protect your eyes from chronic eye diseases like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
There’s no need to know everything about the food on the table. Just fill your plate with as many different colors as possible, which will set you on the right track for better eye health.
Thanksgiving Foods That Are Good For Eye Health
Now that we know why Thanksgiving foods are good for your eye health let’s explore what foods should find their way to your plate.
Turkey
Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without turkey. Turkey is full of zinc and niacin that can help protect your eyes from cataracts. And since cataracts are one of the most common causes of vision loss, grab an extra slice…or two!
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of the best foods for your eye health. While we typically think of fruits when we talk about vitamin C, sweet potatoes also contain a lot of it. They are also a great source of vitamin E. Working together; these two vitamins can help prevent eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration from progressing.
Cranberry Sauce
Are you a canned or homemade cranberry sauce family? Either way, it’s beneficial for your eye health.
Cranberry sauce is full of bioflavonoids and vitamin C, which both help protect you from free radicals. Free radicals are the waste that results from chemical reactions in your body and have been linked not only to eye diseases but Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
Pumpkin Pie
What’s Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? And who knew that dessert could be beneficial for your eyes?
Pumpkin pie is loaded with vitamin A and beta-carotene. Vitamin A helps maintain your eye’s cornea, lens, and macula, and can help with night vision, and beta-carotene, which your body converts to even more vitamin A. And one cup of pureed pumpkin contains more than the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, so don’t skip dessert!
Cauliflower
Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving dinner staple but aren’t helpful regarding eye health. This Thanksgiving, try mashed cauliflower instead.
With fewer carbs and more omega-3 fatty acids than traditional mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower comes out as the winner when it comes to eye health. Thirty percent of the human brain is comprised of omega-3 fatty acids. This fatty acid is hard to get enough of strictly from food, but cauliflower is a great way to add it to your diet.
Green Vegetables
Green vegetables are always a winner. Vegetables like asparagus, green bean casserole, spinach, and brussel sprouts are loaded with the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which help reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts and can help protect your eyes from UV rays.
Whole Grains
Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat bread are packed with vitamin E, zinc, and niacin, all of which can improve eye health and lower your risk of cataracts early in life. You can use these grains as a side dish and in stuffing recipes.
Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, walnuts, and flaxseeds are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats can help maintain the health of the blood vessels in your eyes and reduce the risk of eye diseases. Consider sprinkling them on salads, adding them to stuffing, or using them as a topping for your desserts.
Turn to New Vision Eye Center For World-Class Eye Care™ in Vero Beach, Florida
Although you may worry about over-indulging at the Thanksgiving table, you can enjoy your meal knowing that the foods you eat are beneficial for keeping your eyes healthy. Keep in mind moderation is key for your overall health. And while these foods can help keep your eyes healthy, regular comprehensive eye exams are essential to ensure the health of your eyes.
The doctors at New Vision Eye Center provide World-Class Eye Care™ to patients on the Treasure Coast using the latest technology and minimally invasive treatments. We are leaders in advanced cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, surgical and medical retina care, LASIK laser vision correction, eyelid surgery, and general ophthalmology.
Are you ready to have one of our eye doctors help you see clearly again? Contact us today for an appointment.