Summer Foods for Healthy Eyes

When summer arrives, so do all the wonderful fruits and vegetables in season. For your vision health, and overall health, fruits and vegetables are, of course, the foundation. Consuming them will help your overall health and your oral and visual health. And that is what we like to see – bright eyes and healthy smiles. We have put together some summer food recommendations for your eye health.

Watermelons, along with strawberries, have valuable vitamin C. The vitamin C found in these fruits could lower your risk of developing cataracts, scientific evidence suggests, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA).

Tomatoes are another vegetable in abundance at your farmer’s market in the summer. And tomatoes are packed with vitamin C.

Citrus fruits like grapefruits are packed with vitamin C. Vitamin C supports vision health in many ways like slowing the progression of AMD and supporting blood vessels in the eye. It can also reduce inflammation and fight infections, like gum disease.

Peppers. Salads make great light summer fare. Along with the green bell peppers in season, toss in some eye-healthy spinach and carrots to make a nutrient-rich salad. The AOA reported that eating foods with vitamin C along with beta-carotene, vitamin E and other nutrients can slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Bell peppers and raspberries provide these nutrients.

Lots of beta-carotene choices. Mangoes, apricots and peaches might make you think of summer. Now they can make you think of eye health too. Beta-carotene can be converted to vitamin A which is a great nutrient for your eyes.

Dark, leafy greens. Lutein and zeaxanthin, beneficial to your eyes, can be found in spinach, kale, collard greens and broccoli, along with peas and avocados, which are all great for a summer salad.

Salmon. If you like to grill in the summer, fish, like salmon, is full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to your eye health. Looks like we put together a great summer menu–salad, grilled fish and fruit for dessert.

Keep up the healthy routine

All the fruits and vegetables available in the summer can make it easier to keep up your healthy living routine. But don’t forget to schedule an eye exam with your vision care provider for you and your family.

This post originally appeared on Advantica.