Eye's favorite nutrient

Wang Xufeng, vice president and secretary-general of the Capital Society of Health Care, Nutrition and Cuisine

Among many organs, although the eyes are not big, their precision and demand for nutrients, oxygen and blood are not inferior to any organ. Therefore, it is not enough to protect the eyes and pay attention to eye hygiene, but also to pay attention to scientific diet and nutrition. So, what nutrients do eyes like?

protein. Retinal rhodopsin is synthesized by protein, and insufficient protein leads to insufficient synthesis of rhodopsin, which leads to visual impairment. Protein needs to be supplemented for the repair and renewal of eye tissues. Lean meat, fish, shrimp, milk, eggs and beans are all good foods rich in protein.

vitamin a. Vitamin A is an important raw material to form ocular photosensitive substances, and sufficient vitamin A can increase the smoothness of cornea and make eyes bright. On the contrary, it will cause corneal epithelial cells to fall off, thicken and keratinize, make the original clear and transparent cornea as blurred as ground glass, and even cause eye diseases such as night blindness and cataract. The food with the richest vitamin A is the liver, which is the storage place of vitamins in the body. Egg yolk and whole milk also contain a certain amount of vitamin A. Carotene can be converted into vitamin A in the body. Foods rich in carotene are: kale, cauliflower, spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables, as well as orange vegetables and fruits such as carrots, pumpkins, red sweet potatoes, mangoes and oranges. The greener and orange the color of fruits and vegetables, the higher the carotene content.

B vitamins. The work of eyes requires the participation of many enzymes and a lot of nutrients. Among the B vitamins, vitamin B2 is particularly important, and it is called "beauty vitamin". If it is lacking, the eyes will be afraid of tears, and the whites of the eyes will be covered with red silk, so it is impossible to talk about beautiful eyes. Vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid can also help the eyes to relieve fatigue. Foods rich in B vitamins are egg yolk, milk, yogurt, liver, lean meat, soybeans, red beans, mung beans and oats.

vitamin C. Vitamin C is an important nutritional component of eyeball lens, which is prone to cloudy cataract, keratitis, anterior chamber and iris bleeding. Good sources of vitamin C are all kinds of fresh vegetables, citrus fruits, hawthorn, fresh dates, kiwifruit and so on.

vitamin e. Vitamin E has antioxidant effect, which can inhibit lipid peroxide reaction in ciliary body, dilate peripheral blood vessels, improve blood circulation, enhance muscle metabolism and reproductive function, and promote the recovery of diseased tissues. Good sources of vitamin E are all kinds of fresh nuts, beans, coarse grains, wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil and so on.

lutein. Lutein can be converted into zeaxanthin in the body, and zeaxanthin is the main pigment of macular, which can effectively filter ultraviolet rays and blue-violet light and avoid eye damage. Eye tissue is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and its job is to contact light all day, and light and ultraviolet radiation are both important factors to promote fat oxidation. Without the protection of zeaxanthin, eyes will surely age ahead of time. At the same time, anthocyanins can relieve the tension of ciliary muscles and promote the regeneration of rhodopsin, which is also very helpful to prevent visual fatigue. Spinach, rape and other dark green leafy vegetables, purple vegetables such as purple cabbage and red amaranth, dark fruits such as blueberries, cherries and mulberries all contain a lot of lutein, and seeds of plants such as purple rice and black beans contain anthocyanins.

trace elements. The rotation of eyeball needs the pull of muscle, and calcium is closely related to the flexibility of muscle. If calcium is deficient in the diet for a long time, the muscles will be stiff and the elasticity will decrease, which will lead to inflexible eye movements, poor eye muscle adjustment and recovery ability, and even the axial elongation will lead to the deepening of myopia. Zinc is an active factor of many enzymes and a necessary nutrient for vision formation, and the zinc content in eyes is extremely high. If there is not enough zinc, it will lead to decreased vision and blurred vision in low light. Foods rich in zinc are shellfish and soft seafood, lean meat, black sesame seeds, watermelon seeds, hazelnuts and walnuts. Foods rich in calcium are dairy products and bean products. ▲