Your eyes are perhaps the most sensitive and delicate organs in the body. Besides, you use them to work and see all the beauty that life has to offer.
Needless to say, you want to take great care of them to ensure that they function optimally all the time. Some of the compounds that work to help you achieve that include zeaxanthin and lutein. However, the body cannot produce them naturally so you would have to derive them from other sources like supplements, food, and fruits.
Fruits are easy to take and incorporate into your diet so if you are wondering if you can get the same compounds from fruits, then the answer is yes.
What fruits contain lutein and zeaxanthin? We discuss them below.
Lutein & Zeaxanthin Can Be Found In These Fruits
1. Apricot
Apricots are rich in vitamin A and the thing is that this particular vitamin helps in maintaining healthy vision as well as general eye health. A single apricot contains about 13% of the amount of vitamin A that you need daily.
You may also want to note that apricots are filled with antioxidants and vitamins that help protect your eyes. The fruits also have beta-carotene that delays the aging of the eyes.
Most importantly, these fruits contain zeaxanthin and lutein, compounds that help in preventing macular degeneration. In fact, just 4 apricots contain approximately 120 mcg of lutein + zeaxanthin and 1.5 mg beta carotene.
2. Orange
Oranges just like other citrus fruits like grapes are high in vitamin C which plays a vital role in maintaining good eye health.
The vitamin can also be found in fresh vegetables and helps promote healthy blood vessels in the eyes. Vitamin C can help prevent the development of cataracts and other eye conditions that put your eyesight in jeopardy.
Oranges also have a high water content that helps in keeping the eyes hydrated but most notable is that it is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which can help prevent age-related macular degeneration.
Fact: One cup of natural orange juice (unsweetened) contains 286mg of lutein and zeaxanthin. How about that!
3. Mango
Mango is one of the sweetest fruits there is, but that is not the only thing that it has to offer. We say that because it is high in minerals and vitamins and comes with antioxidant properties as well.
By consuming the fruit, you improve your digestive and eye health as well as enjoy improved immunity. Of course, it also contains lutein which protects the eyes from harmful blue rays.
An average-sized mango fruit provides you with 48mg of lutein + zeaxanthin.
4. Avocado
There has always been a debate regarding avocado and whether it is fruit or vegetable, which is a good thing because it can be used in sandwiches, soups, smoothies, dips, and salads or just as it is.
Regardless, avocado is rich in nutrients that protect your eyes from oxidative stress and damage that contributes to poor vision. Moreover, avocado contains beta-carotene and vitamins as well as lutein to help prevent age-related eye problems, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Since avocado is rich in zeaxanthin and lutein compounds, it can help in protecting the eyes from damaging UV rays and improve night vision.
By just eating one medium-sized avocado per day you stand to gain 500mg of zexanthin + lutein.
5. Papaya
Papayas are great antioxidants and they are also loaded with vitamin A, which supports eye health. The same vitamin safeguards the eye cornea while the antioxidants prevent retina degeneration.
The fruit is also thought to improve vision and overall eye health.
Above all, it does contain lutein and zeaxanthin, the two compounds whose main job is to prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Did you know that a 100 gram serving of Papaya contains 24mg Lutein and 15mg Zeaxanthin? Now you know.
6. Blueberries
Did you know that blueberries have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties? What this means is that consuming it helps in continually supporting good eyesight.
Integrating these berries into your diet also means that you get to fortify the blood vessels present in your eyes as well as prevent oxygen blockages to the retina.
As if that is not enough, they prevent AMD because they contain lutein.
Fact: For every 100 grams of blueberries, you get 53mg zeaxanthin + lutein.
Conclusion
Several foods help in improving eyesight, but most people find it easier to consume fruits. Fortunately, there are fruits rich in lutein and zeaxanthin compounds, which improve eye health immensely.
Incorporate the ones we have discussed above and watch your eye health improve significantly.