We have all heard that carrots help you see better, but is it really true? Eye care professionals know that regardless of how many carrots you eat, they can't save you from needing eye glasses. However, carrots do contain significant quantities of beta-carotene, a vitamin that is beneficial for the health of your eyes and therefore consuming foods rich in this vitamin is clearly recommended for proper eye health.
Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, or orange pigment that changes into vitamin A after it's digested in the body. Vitamin A helps to guard the surface of the eye (cornea) and has been determined to prevent a number of eye diseases such as macular degeneration. Vitamin A, a group of antioxidant compounds, guards the surface of the eye to reduce the risk of eye infections as well as other infectious illnesses. Vitamin A is also known to be an effective treatment for dry eyes as well as other eye conditions. A deficiency of this important vitamin (which tends to be more common in poor and developing countries) is known to cause night blindness, corneal ulcers and retinal damage which can contribute to blindness.
Two forms of vitamin A exist, which relate to the nutritional source they come from. Retinol is vitamin A that comes from an animal source such as beef, chicken liver, whole milk or cheese. Vitamin A that is obtained from produce exists in the form of ''provitamin A'' carotenoids, which are converted to retinol after the nutrients are digested. In addition to carrots, carotenoids can be found in colorful fruits and vegetables such as oranges, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale and cantaloupes.
It is proven that vitamin A is beneficial to your eyes and your overall well being. Although carrots themselves won't correct vision impairments, mother had it right when she advised ''eat your carrots.''
