Kale It!

Eating a well-balanced diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Research has shown that consuming a diet of eye-healthy foods helps to protect our vision and ocular health. Kale is known as a superfood and is considered among the world’s healthiest foods because it contains high amounts of vitamins A, C and K as well as being a rich source of iron and essential nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin. This nutritionally rich, leafy green is known to have numerous health benefits including lowering cholesterol, promoting heart health and reducing the risk of eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration which can cause vision loss. Vitamin A helps to protect the front surface of the eye and is important to night vision while vitamin C promotes healthy capillaries and strong ocular blood vessels. Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants found in the macula which is the area of the retina responsible for fine-detail vision. These nutrients have an important role in absorbing harmful UV light and protecting the macular area at the back of the eye. Raw kale contains the highest amount of lutein of any vegetable as well as high amounts of zeaxanthin. Some great ways to incorporate more kale into your diet include fresh kale green smoothies, kale chips with some olive oil and adding kale to your summer salads. Make kale a part of your healthy diet and you’ll be eating right to save your sight! Happy eating everyone