How Food Affects Cataracts

7/29/2019 How Food Affects Cataracts

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How Food Affects Cataracts

Although research has not positively proved that nutrition can prevent cataracts,

there is ample evidence that eating the right foods can help and we know for

certain it can't hurt!

The ultimate prevention for cataracts is simple: Never grow old.

For those of you who can't stop time, nutrition and lifestyle changes are your

best bets for preventing or slowing the development of cataracts. Although

research has not absolutely established that proper nutrition can prevent

cataracts, there is ample evidence that eating the right foods can help and

we know for certain it can't hurt!

For cataract prevention, increasing foods rich in antioxidants and the B

vitamins is your best line of defense. Youll also want to dramatically limit

your intake of low-quality carbs sugary foods and beverages and refined,

white starches.

ANTIOXIDANTS: VITAMIN C AND VITAMIN E

As the name suggests, antioxidants fight the oxidative stress caused by free radicals. There is no single

antioxidant rather, it is a broad category that includes vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, beta-carotene, and

any number of other substances that can neutralize free radicals. All vegetables and fruits containantioxidants, so eating a diet rich in those foods may help prevent cataracts.

The Nurses' Health Study revealed that women who ate a very healthy diet full of all kinds of antioxidants

from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains were half as likely to develop cataracts as women who did not

eat such a healthy diet. In addition, numerous studies have observed that people with high dietary intakes

or blood levels of antioxidants particularly vitamins C and E are at a significantly lower risk for

cataracts. But when researchers took the studies to the next level by giving people supplements of

individual antioxidants or combination pills with a mix of antioxidants, the results were disappointing. In

fact, in most trials, antioxidant supplements did not prevent or slow cataract development.

These results arent as contradictory as they seem at first glance there are many plausible reasons

why supplements seem to have struck out. Antioxidants found in foods may act synergistically with other

nutrients, and you miss out on these potential benefits when you take isolated antioxidants in pill form. In

addition, people with higher intakes of antioxidants likely consume more produce, eat a better overall diet,

and have healthier lifestyle habits, and these may, in fact, be the real reasons theyre at lower risk for

cataracts. Regardless, the big-picture message is clear: Antioxidant supplements do not ward off

cataracts, but eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, including those rich in vitamins C and E, may be

protective (and will benefit the rest of your body as well!).

BEST SOURCES OF FOOD ANTIOXIDANTS: TOP 20 FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND NUTS (as

measured by total antioxidant capacity per serving size)

RANKFOOD ITEMSERVING

SIZE

TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT

CAPACITY PER SERVING

SIZE

1Small red bean

(dried)1/2 cup 13,727

2 Wild blueberry 1 cup 13, 427

3Red kidney

bean (dried)1/2 cup 13,259

4 Pinto bean 1/2 cup 11,864

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5Blueberry

(cultivated)1 cup 9,019

6 Cranberry1 cup

(whole)8,983

7Artichoke

(cooked)

1 cup

(hearts)7,904

8 Blackberry 1 cup 7,701

9 Prune 1/2 cup 7,29110 Raspberry 1 cup 6,058

11 Strawberry 1 cup 5,938

12Red Delicious

apple1 5,900

13Granny Smith

apple1 5,381

14 Pecan I ounce 5,095

15 Sweet cherry 1 cup 4,873

16 Black plum 1 4,844

17Russet potato

(cooked)1 4,649

18Black bean

(dried)1/2 cup 4,181

19 Plum 1 4,118

20 Gala apple 1 3,903

BEST FOODS FOR VITAMIN C: Guava, bell peppers (all colors), oranges and orange juice, grapefruit

and grapefruit juice, strawberries, pineapple, kohlrabi, papaya, lemons and lemon juice, broccoli, kale,

brussels sprouts, kidney beans, kiwi, cantaloupe, cauliflower, cabbage (all varieties), mangoes, white

potatoes, mustard greens, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, snow peas, clementines, rutabagas, turnip greens,

raspberries, blackberries, watermelon, tangerines, okra, lychees, summer squash, persimmons

BEST FOODS FOR VITAMIN E:Almonds and almond butter, sunflowerseeds and sunflower butter,

wheat germ, hazelnuts, spinach, dandelion greens, Swiss chard, pine nuts, peanuts and peanut butter,

turnip greens, beet greens, broccoli, canola oil, flaxseed oil, red bell pepper, collard greens, avocados,

olive oil, mangoes

ANTIOXIDANTS: LUTEIN AND ZEAXANTHIN

Lutein and zeaxanthin are a pair of antioxidants that are of tremendous interest to eye-health researchers.

Lutein and zeaxanthin belong to a family of nutrients called carotenoids (along with their more popular

sister carotenoid, beta-carotene). Lutein and zeaxanthin stand out because theyre the only carotenoids

found in the lens of the eye and may play a key role in keeping the lens clear of protein buildup. Like all

antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin can defuse potentially damaging free radicals. In addition, they mayalso prevent the development of some free radicals by absorbing blue light part of the cataract-

causing, short-wave spectrum of sunlight.

Using data from the Womens Health Study, researchers at Harvard University determined that women

who consumed the highest combined amount of lutein plus zeaxanthin had an 18 percent reduced risk of

cataracts when compared to women with the lowest intake. Similar results were reported from the Nurses'

Health Study, the US Male Health Professionals Study, and the Beaver Dam Eye Study. Encouraging

results for sure, but I can't recommend lutein and zeaxanthin supplements at this time. Thats because no

one knows everything there is to know about the effects of individual nutrients, and it could be that lutein

and zeaxanthin work best only when paired with other antioxidants, or with certain vitamins and minerals.

Right now, the only solid information we have supports eating a diet full of lutein- and zeaxanthin-rich

leafy-green vegetables, plus an abundance of other antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits.

BEST FOODS FOR LUTEIN AND ZEAXANTHIN: Kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, turnip

greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, beet greens, radicchio, summer squash (all varieties),

watercress, green peas, persimmons, winter squash (acorn, butternut, etc.), pumpkin, broccoli, brussels

sprouts, lettuce (especially dark lettuces), asparagus, corn, green beans, okra, artichokes, green bell

peppers

B VITAMINS

There is strong evidence that two of the B vitamins riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3)

may help prevent cataracts, and early research suggests that other B vitamins may also contribute to eye

health.

Although these vitamins are not ant ioxidants, they provide some of the building blocks the body needs to

make antioxidant compounds. So without enough riboflavin and niacin, the risk of cataracts increases.

Indeed, several scientific studies have shown that people who eat a diet with plenty of foods rich in

riboflavin and niacin can slash their risk of cataracts by about half compared with people who eat a diet

with very little of those vitamins.

As with antioxidants, there need to be further studies about the benefits of B vitamin supplements.


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Although the results are quite encouraging, they are not so definitive as to provide specific

recommendations. The Blue Mountain Eye Study, a large Australian study with about 2,900 participants,

found that those who took riboflavin supplements had a 20 percent lower risk of cataracts compared with

people who didn't take supplements. Niacin supplements lowered risk by 30 percent, and supplements of

other B vitamins thiamin, folate, and vitamin B12 also seemed to show some benefit. Combining

these vitamins may have an even greater effect. A large study conducted by the National Eye Institute in

Bethesda, Maryland, showed that people who took a dual supplement containing both riboflavin and

niacin reduced their risk of cataracts by 44 percent. Even general multivitamins providing 100 percent DV

for these B vitamins seem to decrease risk by more than 30 percent. As promising as these results sound,the jury is still out on exactly how much of which types of B vitamins is necessary or optimal for cataract

prevention. I can recommend only food sources, not pills (with the exception of a multivitamin providing

100 percent DV for riboflavin and niacin).

BEST FOODS FOR RIBOFLAVIN: Lean beef and lamb, venison, yogurt (fat-free, low-fat), milk (fat-free,

1% low-fat), mushrooms, almonds, eggs, spinach, coffee

BEST FOODS FOR NIACIN: Tuna (canned light), skinless chicken, lean beef and lamb, pork tenderloin,

mackerel (not king), skinless turkey, wild salmon (fresh, canned), anchovies, kidney beans, peanuts and

peanut butter, mushrooms, sunflower seeds and sunflower butter

LOW-QUALITY CARBS

Most studies have focused on nutrients that can help protect the eyes from cataracts, but emerging

research suggests that certain foods may increase the risk, most notably low-quality carbohydrates.

Low-quality carbohydrates include sugar, honey, and other sweeteners, soda and other sugary drinks,

candy, baked goods, sugary cereals, anything made with white flour (including white bread and regular

pasta), and white rice. Researchers categorize these foods as high-glycemic carbs, which means they arequickly digested and absorbed by the body, causing a rapid, steep, and unhealthy rise in blood-sugar

levels. Glucose eventually moves from the blood into the eye, and scientists believe that exposure to high

sugar concentrations in the eyes lens may accelerate protein damage and clumping, thus contributing to

cataract formation. A few studies have shown that people who eat lots of high-glycemic foods are at

increased risk of developing cataracts. These findings may also explain why the incidence of cataracts is

substantially higher in people with diabetes, who have chronically elevated blood-sugar levels.

Were only beginning to understand the impact of low-quality carbs on eye health, but we already know for

sure that theyre not doing our hearts, blood vessels, or waistlines any good. In your daily meal plans, I

recommend bypassing junky, nutrient-poor carbs and replacing them with high-quality carbohydrates like

vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains.

TEA

Tea contains powerful antioxidants, and some research suggests that drinking relatively large amounts of

tea the equivalent of about five cups daily may help prevent or delay cataract development. But

antioxidants may tell only part of the story. While investigating the effects of tea on blood sugar in diabetic

laboratory rats, researchers from the University of Scranton discovered that the animals that drank teahad lower blood sugar than those that did not drink tea. But there was also a side benefit drinking tea

reduced the level of glucose in the eye lens, and there was a lower incidence of cataracts. In fact, the

tea-drinking rats had about half the risk of cataracts as non-tea-drinkers. Were still waiting to see if these

results hold up in humans, but tea is an incredibly healthy drink all around, so in the meantime I

encourage you to sip to your hearts content. Whats more, unsweetened tea is a terrific substitute for

sugary beverages like soda, sweetened waters, fruit drinks, and sugary coffee concoctions. Both green

tea and regular black tea had the same effects, so feel free to choose the type you enjoy most.

NEXT: How Food Affects Macular Degeneration

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How Food Affects Cataracts