Must-have foods for cataract prevention and foods to avoid

The following info has been extracted from   

http://www.eyedoctorguide.com/cataracts/vitamins_prevent_cataracts.html

Must-have foods for cataract prevention
Eating the right foods can reduce your chance of getting cataracts and can slow their progression. These include:

• Foods rich in vitamins A and C such as apricots, carrots, spinach, strawberries and tomatoes. Eat lots of brightly colored fruits and vegetables because they contain antioxidants, which fight free radicals.


• Add in plenty of vitamin E and you will cut your cataract risk in half. Good sources include wheat germ, whole grain bread, brown rice and other seeds, nuts and grains. Vitamin E is also found in canola oil.


• Make sure you get plenty of the big Bs: niacin, thiamin and riboflavin. Good sources for these include fortified cereal and mushrooms.


• Protein deficiency also increases your cataract risk, so make sure there is enough in your diet. Good sources of protein include fish, turkey or chicken breasts and low fat dairy products. In addition, beans, rice and other legumes are excellent protein sources.

Foods to avoid

• Saturated fats are #1 on the list of things to avoid when you are trying to prevent cataracts. Sources of saturated fats include butter, lard and coconut oil.


• Salt is a problem as well and should be reduced as much as possible. As a substitute, try seasoning food with other herbs, such as turmeric, which is popular in Indian dishes.

While cataracts are an inevitable aging change of our eyes, maintaining a healthy diet which include plenty of fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, taking care of other health issues, avoid smoking and wearing sunglasses are all ways you