You know the saying, “You are what you eat”? The food you eat plays a huge part in your health.
Our eyes are vascular, meaning that it is important to have a heart-healthy diet to keep the blood vessels that service our eyes healthy. Tiny capillaries provide your retina with nutrients and oxygen; because these vessels are so small, fatty deposits can easily cause blocked veins.
We’ve already shared with you the foods that will boost your eye health. Now, we have compiled a list of the foods that are harmful to the health of your eyes. You should definitely make an effort to try to avoid these foods especially during Ramazan.
Condiments, Toppings and Dressings
The toppings that you likely store in your refrigerator door like mayonnaise, salad dressing, or jelly, are all high in fat.
Rather than using these options for flavor on your next sandwich, burger, or salad, try using natural flavors like green vegetables or toppings that are packed with vitamin C, like a squeeze of fresh lemon. Get great flavor with natural foods without sacrificing your nutritional benefits!
White or Plain Colored Foods
Think about the white foods that you eat: pasta, white bread, rice, and flour tortillas. These foods offer almost no nutritional benefit, just simple carbohydrates that give a rush of energy that are followed by a crash.
If you are eating these foods, be sure to add greens and foods that rich with omega-3 to the meal to provide yourself with nutritional benefits. Or, swap them for healthier alternatives that use whole grains.
Fried Foods
Fried foods such as burgers and french fries are comfort foods. Because there are dozens of burger joints around you, you may enjoy eating fast food on nights when you don’t have time to cook. But if you eat fried foods too often, all that oil can build up in your body and clog up your arteries.
As a result, you will likely experience high blood pressure, which can cause you to develop eye problems such as hypertensive retinopathy.
Sugary Drinks
Do you enjoy drinking an ice-cold Coke with iftari or dinner? Or do you prefer drinking other sugary, carbonated drinks? While you can definitely drink beverages that are sweetened with pure sugar, you should avoid drinks that are sweetened with sugars like high-fructose corn syrup.
Researchers have shown that drinks that use these kinds of sweeteners elevate triglyceride levels and further increase the risk for high blood pressure, which could in turn cause you to develop eye problems.
Margarine
Margarine is often marketed as a healthy alternative to butter, but is full of trans fats that can adversely affect your cholesterol.
Instead, try using coconut or olive oil as an alternative to both margarine and butter to avoid trans fats.
We want to help you eat healthy so that your vision remains clear and focused. Do you have questions about how to eat healthy for your eyes? We would love to see you! Stop in or schedule your appointment today.
This post originally appeared on Rx Optical.