7 Christmas Foods That Keep Your Eyes Healthy

*Remunerated Post*

From the scrumptious roast to the melt-in-the-mouth pudding, one could argue that Christmas dinner is the real showstopper of the festive season. Although it’s that time of year to treat yourself and indulge in the finest of foods, you may still be wanting to keep healthy. 

Speaking of which, did you know that there is a good variety of festive foods beneficial for your eye health? According to research by online eyewear retailer Arlo Wolf, a lot of these foods are part of a traditional Christmas meal, so you won’t have to substitute anything! 

Brussels Sprouts 

Let’s start with those all-important greens. Whether you love or loathe them, brussels sprouts deserve to be part of your Christmas dinner plate. As well as being generally nutritious, sprouts are also superb for boosting your eye health. This is because they’re full of rich antioxidants such as Vitamin C, which offer protection against UV light damage. As well as this, sprouts are known to be great for fighting off age-related macular degeneration. This type of condition occurs with age and can lead to blurry vision and even partial blindness. 

Top tip: If you want to get your child more into brussels sprouts this Christmas, give them a bunch of little sprouts to tuck into, rather than offering them big ones. This is because the smaller the sprout, the more delicious it is! 

Carrots 

You’ve probably been told that carrots can help you see in the dark. A bold claim to make for sure, but what we do know is that carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is what your body needs to produce Vitamin A. This Vitamin A then enables your eye to convert light via a signal sent to the brain, which in turns allows you to see more effectively in low light. This is definitely something to tell the kids on Christmas Day! 

Cranberries 

Whatever roast you’re having for your Christmas dinner, it would be a crime not to accompany this with a generous dollop of cranberry sauce. Humour aside, let’s not forget that cranberries are packed full of Vitamin C. This helps to promote a healthy connective tissue and collagen in your cornea, which then works to minimise the risk of cataracts development or age-related macular degeneration. 

Roast potatoes 

When it comes to those delicious Christmas dinner sides, roast potatoes are certainly a winner. You may not already know this, but roasties can be especially good for your eyes due to being great sources of Vitamin C. If you really want to ensure your roast potatoes are protecting your eyes, perhaps roast them in butter instead of goose fat or oil? Butter is high in Vitamin A, which as mentioned, is great for your eyes. 

Cheese 

Speaking of dairy, you can’t beat a good festive wine and cheese board. What’s great about cheese in particular is that the food is high in Vitamin A as well. This means that you don’t have to feel guilty about tucking into every type of cheese on the planet this Christmas! 

Salmon 

Whether you’re serving salmon bites as party food or you intend to have a fillet as a roast on Christmas, you can be assured that this type of food does wonders for your eyesight. As you will most likely know, salmon is high in Omega-3 fats, and these contribute to maintaining healthy vision while also reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Furthermore, salmon is especially rich in B vitamins, including niacin, and research has found that this reduces the risk of cataracts development by nearly 50%. 

Turkey 

Last but not least, we have the traditional turkey. As well as being sufficiently high in protein, turkey is also rich in B vitamins; Vitamin B12, B6 and B3 to be specific. As mentioned, B vitamins are fantastic for maintaining good eye health. You’ll also be pleased to know that turkey is high in zinc, which your body needs to use Vitamin A properly. Vitamin A is also important for the production of melanin, which helps to shield your eyes from potential UV damage.

And there you have it; seven Christmas foods that are not only super tasty, but are also extremely beneficial for your eye health. Whatever you choose to serve up this Christmas, make sure you make it a good one and that you enjoy the precious time spent with your dear loved ones.