Top foods to eat this Easter to give your vision a boost

Eat your way to good vision

Spring is here, the daffodils are blooming, and two four-day work weeks are coming up, which can only mean one thing – Easter is just around the corner! For lots of us, the long Easter weekend involves munching chocolate eggs and eating a roast dinner with family, so why not delve into exactly how these activities can boost our vision? We’re pleased to share that some of the most popular types of food at this time of year actually hold numerous benefits for your vision and eye health, so you can go on an Easter egg hunt guilt-free!

Top foods to eat this Easter to give your vision a boost

How do eggs benefit your eye health?

Eggs – chocolate or otherwise – are one of the foods most-commonly associated with Easter. Eggs are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are nutrients proven to protect your eyes from UV damage. UV damage is a key risk factor for the onset of cataracts and macular degeneration, two eye conditions which can threaten your vision permanently, so doing what you can to keep them at bay is crucial. Research has revealed that eating an egg a day for five weeks raises your lutein levels by 26% and zeaxanthin levels by 38%. Both lutein and zeaxanthin increase the amount of protective pigment in your macula, which is the part of your retina which is responsible for central vision. Eggs also feature in our top 10 foods for boosting your eye health and are a great choice for breakfast or a snack, particularly around Easter time.

Do carrots actually help your night vision?

Many of us have been raised hearing the old wives’ tale that eating carrots helps us see in the dark – but was this just a ploy by our parents to make sure we ate vegetables? Well, although it was initially a rumour started in World War II to keep new radar technology a secret, carrots do actually have benefits for your eyes. Most orange-coloured fruits and vegetables, such as bell peppers, sweet potatoes and pumpkins, contain the antioxidant beta carotene. This is converted by your body into vitamin A to boost the production of rod and cone cells in your eyes. These cells are crucial for good vision, especially as your rod cells help you to detect light and dark and vitamin A is beneficial for this. If you’re seeking vegetables to give you a boost in low lighting, carrots are it!

Can eating lamb boost your eyesight?

Roast lamb is one of the most traditional Easter Sunday meals going, so you’ll likely be pleased to know that lamb is a great source of vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects tissues in a number of places in your body, from your skin to your liver and heart and, crucially, your eyes. Lamb is also rich in vitamin A which we touched on in our previous paragraph for its benefits when it comes to preserving healthy vision and eyes. And, roast lamb’s number one condiment has its own benefits for your eye health! Mint, usually found in the form of jelly or sauce around Easter, also contains vitamin A and has been said to be good for night vision as a result.

How much does chocolate boost your vision?

Now, onto what is arguably the star of the Easter weekend… chocolate! It’s thought that as many as 90 million chocolate Easter eggs are eaten each year in Britain, so finding research to back up chocolate’s health benefits is sure to make us feel better about that huge statistic. There’s good news if you’re a fan of dark chocolate – Harvard Medical School found that chocolate’s cocoa flavanols promote a higher flow of oxygen and nutrients to your eyes’ blood vessels. Some studies on the topic suggest that eating a bar of 72% dark chocolate results in a “significant” improvement in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, when compared to not eating dark chocolate. However, it’s important to note that these findings only apply to dark chocolate – and not milk or white chocolate – so perhaps this is a sign to be a little more selective with your Easter egg choice this year!