Are Carrots Good For Your Eyes: Unveiling The Truth
Good eye health and carrots have long been associated.
It is a popular belief passed on from generation that carrots improve eyesight.
However, is this just a belief or a fact? Are carrots really good for your eyes?
This article will explore the scientific evidence to find the link between carrots and eye health.
We will also look at the vegetable’s nutritional value to find out how they benefit the eyes.
Why is carrot good for the eyes
Carrot is a delicious root vegetable. It contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant compounds.
These compounds have many benefits, including for the eyes.
Here are some of the nutritional content of carrots that make them essential for your eyes:
Beta-carotene
Beta-carotene is a form of Vitamin A found in carrots. When you consume Beta-carotene, your body will convert it into Vitamin A.
It functions in many biological processes, including vision.
Vitamin A is one of the most essential vitamins for your eyes.
Rhodopsin is activated with the help of Vitamin A.
Rhodopsin is the reddish-purple, light-sensitive pigment in your eye cells that aids night vision.
According to World Health Organisation, a deficiency of this vitamin can result in blindness.
Lutein
Lutein is anti-oxidative, so it defends the body against dangerous molecules known as free radicals.
Free radicals harm cells through a process called oxidation.
Over time numerous chronic disorders may develop due to this damage, including eye problems.
The development of eye diseases such as Cataracts and Uveitis is related to the free radicals mechanism in your body.
In a study, women aged 50 to 79 were given a diet rich in Lutein plus Zeaxanthin.
Results showed that diets rich in these components might protect against intermediate Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in healthy women younger than 75.
Zeaxanthin
Zeaxanthin is another vital component of carrots.
It is suitable for your eyes, as it protects them from the harmful effects of oxidative damage from free radicals.
Moreover, it builds a yellow-colored pigment shield to protect eye cells from the damaging effects of some light sources, like the sun.
Ways to increase carrot’s effectiveness for eyes
Reading the above points, you must have learned that carrots are good for your eyes.
But there are some ways in which you can consume carrots to increase their effectiveness for good vision and eye health.
We mostly eat carrots in their raw form, such as in salads.
But cooked carrots are better for your eye health.
In a study, volunteers were served cooked, pureed carrots and raw, chopped carrots.
Beta-carotene was more effectively absorbed in cooked, pureed carrots than in meals containing raw carrots.
How to eat carrots
The vegetable’s cell walls are broken down during cooking, increasing the availability of its nutrients.
Of course, how you prepare them matters.
Steaming, sautéing, or roasting is preferable to boiling vegetables because the latter can lose nutrients.
However, you may still have boiled carrots; remember not to cut them before boiling.
Additionally, eating cooked (or raw) carrots with a small amount of fat, like hummus, olive, or coconut oil, improves the absorption of its key components.
Takeaway
Many people ask whether carrots are good for their eyes. The answer is yes, it is.
Carrots contain some key components like Beta-carotene, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin.
All these are pivotal in increasing eyesight and improving overall eye health.
These components protect our eyes from eye diseases like Cataracts, Age-related Macular Degeneration, Uveitis, etc.
You can have cooked carrots, as the nutrients are well absorbed. You may also boil it as a whole to gain the benefits of carrots.
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