If you eat meat, you have a
higher chance of eventually developing cataracts. Cataracts affect about 60% of people over the
age of 60. Cataract surgeries are
performed over 1.5 million times each year in the United States alone.
Cataracts are thought to be a normal sign of
aging, but now scientists believe that diet can largely prevent this common eye
disorder. Cataract symptoms are a
gradual clouding of the lens, causing impaired vision.
A 2011 study from Oxford
University compared different dietary groups with the incidence of
cataracts. The dietary groups included
high meat eaters, low meat eaters, fish eaters (participants who ate fish but
not meat), vegetarians (those that included dairy in their diet), and vegans
(participants that consumed no animal fat or protein).
The incidence of
cataracts corresponded to the amount of animal protein and fat consumed by each
diet group with the high meat eaters having the highest incidence of cataracts,
and vegans the lowest, and the other groups correspondingly in the middle. Click here for study details.
It has long been known that eye
health is linked to the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Many nutrients found in a vegetarian diet
have been shown to ward off cataract development. The most important are:
Beta-Carotene. In particular, the darker colored fruits and
vegetables (apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, collard greens, kale, spinach,
papaya, red bell pepper, cantaloupe, etc.) have the most amounts of beta-carotene
and carotenoids which are considered important eye-protecting nutrients.
Vitamin C. All citrus fruits contain a high amount of
Vitamin C, as well as other produce such as guava, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mango,
strawberries, raspberries, etc.
Vitamin
E. This powerful antioxidant
is a preventative of cataracts and macular degenerative disease. Some
of the best sources are wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, almonds, wheat
germ, papaya, and peanut butter.
Zinc. This trace mineral has a protective effect
for eyes, especially the retina. Vegetarian sources of zinc include wheat germ,
garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, almonds, tofu, and brown rice.
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