Cataracts are one of the most devastating eye conditions that have an impact on the global population. Millions of people lose eyesight every year because they don’t get treatment for cataracts at the right time. One of the most serious things about cataracts is that there are no clear reasons as to why it occurs. The only significant reasons that doctors have been able to find is – aging.

While we cannot stop the process of aging, there is one thing that we can do – and that is to adopt a healthy lifestyle and improve our eating habits.

Let us take a look at some of the nutrients that can help us to prevent the arrival of cataract –

Lutein and Zeaxanthin

These are a couple of antioxidants that have shown to play a major role in eye-health. They belong to the family of carotenoids, which includes lutein and zeaxanthin. One of the special things about this pair of antioxidants is that they are the only family of carotenoids found in the lens of human eye. So, research has suggested that they might play a BIG role in keeping the eye lens clear, preventing the buildup of proteins that causes cataracts.

Some of the food stuff rich in lutein and zeaxanthin include Kale, turnip greens, spinach, mustard greens, Swiss chard and summer squash and beet greens.

Vitamin B family

There has been significant research that has shown that riboflavin and niacin, part of Vitamin B family, play a major role in cancer prevention. Although these vitamins are not antioxidants, studies have shown that they are the building blocks required to make antioxidant compounds in the body. So a person with an insufficient amount of riboflavin and niacin in diet is at a higher risk of developing cataracts earlier in life.

Some of the best food stuff that you can consume to provide the body with the required amount riboflavin and niacin are lean beef, yoghurt, skinless chicken, pork tenderloin, kidney beans, peanuts, peanut butter, mushroom, sunflower seeds and sunflower butter, to name a few.

Low quality carbs

In recent research it has been found that apart from antioxidants and vitamins, low quality carbohydrates also play an impactful role in the development of cataracts. The fact that these high-glycemic carbs are quickly digested and absorbed, increasing the chances of unhealthy rise in blood-sugar levels of a person, laid the foundation of this study. Rise in blood sugar levels is one of the major reasons that cause damage to the eye lens. Therefore, consuming a diet rich in high quality carbs can reduce those chances, and thereby reducing the chances of cataracts. Food stuff such as white bread and regular pasta are the most prominent sources of low quality carbs.

So there you have some of the common foods that you can incorporate into, or reduce from, your diet to decrease the chances of cataract development. And in case you are facing any difficulties with your vision, don’t forget to get in touch with an eye specialist before it gets too late.