Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley: Thanksgiving Food for Thought (and Vision)

One week from today, the majority of the American public will be relaxing from the Thanksgiving feast from the day before (or scrambling around in a Black Friday shopping frenzy). With that in mind, Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley would like to highlight some vision-friendly foods that many of you will be enjoying this coming Thursday. You may never look at them the same way again. (And when we say “look” we mean it!)

We begin with the most obvious edible item, carrots. This favorite of rabbits everywhere is loaded with beta-carotene (i.e., vitamin A) that is good for vision. So please make sure you get at least a small helping of carrots on your plate. And…guess what? Beta-carotene is in a few other Thanksgiving staples, such as sweet potatoes and pumpkins. (No, this is NOT an excuse to have an extra slice or two of pumpkin pie.) Don’t be misled; you will not miraculously develop 20/20 vision by taking in a lot of beta carotene, but just keep in mind that these vitamin A foods can at least be a help to your eyesight. (Interesting coincidence that these foods are all orange, isn’t it?)

Now we move onto the greens. If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, you may want to strongly consider including collard greens, broccoli, and/or asparagus to the menu. All of these include lutein and zeaxanthin. (We know…those are strange-sounding names that you may not be able to pronounce, but trust us…they’re good for your eyes, as both can reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataract.) If you care to know more about lutein and zeaxanthin, click here. In any event, please have one or more of these dark leafy green veggies on your dinner table this Thursday.

And now, we come to the pièce de résistance for many palettes on Thanksgiving – the turkey. Yes, dear readers, there is zinc and vitamin B in this main course, which (like the leafy green vegetables mentioned above) are effective agents in preventing cataract. So…this very tasty dish that dates back to the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock has been benefiting the eyesight of many for several centuries. (We wonder why this fact was never pointed out in history books about the first Thanksgiving.)

Before we sign off, we’d like to acknowledge an article from MDHIL Networks, which goes into detail about some more eye-healthy foods. Thanks also to Chef Kate McAloon, for a whole list of vision-enriching eats. (She even has a recipe for Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup, which you can find here. Think of it…two foods with beta-carotene combined in one soup! )

We hope that you have enjoyed (and learned from) this week’s writing of the connection between Thanksgiving dishes and their contribution to eye health. As you enjoy your meal this Thursday, say a silent ‘thanks’ for your vision.

Thanks for reading…have a great Thanksgiving…and keep your sites on healthy vision.