“Eat up your carrots – they help you see in the dark.” Most of us have heard this saying. But are carrots really the best food for our eyes? Sure, carrots have lots of beta-carotene which keeps vitamin A levels up in the body. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness hence the ‘see in the dark’ reputation of carrots.

But it’s the green and yellow foods such as corn, egg yolk, spinach and silver beet that really protect our eyes. These foods are rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (pronounced zee a zan thin). The macular region (part of the retina) of healthy eyes has rich deposits of these antioxidants but it needs regular replenishing. Macular degeneration is a major cause of blindness so it pays to keep this critical part of the eye well stocked up with nutrients. Try these green and yellow meals: corn on the cob, corn fritters cooked in olive oil served with avocado and tomato, omelette with spinach, quiche with salmon, spinach and corn, or a salad of baby spinach leaves, hard boiled eggs, tomato, tuna, olives and anchovies.

Macular Degeneration Foundation (Australia)