We have all heard the stories that if you eat your carrots, you will develop super-sight! Carrots do for your eyes what a can of spinach does for Popeye’s arms! With all of those carrots, rabbits must have the best sight of any animal on the planet!
Well, here is the deal: carrots are high in Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene which is an anti-oxidant and is good for aiding in age-related changes in the eye. Carrots aren’t going to allow you to go up against the 6-Million dollar man in a vision contest, but they, along with sweet potatoes, milk, and liver will help to keep your eyes healthy.
There are plenty of vitamins and supplement that are known to help keep your eyesight healthy.
Vitamin C can help slow the progression of macular degeneration. It can also slow the progression of cataracts. Eat you fruits and veggies! Vitamin C is found in strawberries, oranges and even broccoli! Vitamin E, found in nuts can also slow macular degeneration and cataracts. When it comes to nuts and almonds, beware of those allergies.
Selenium is a type of mineral that also has the same benefits as Vitamins C and E. Brazil nuts, brown rice and enriched pasta are good sources of selenium. Good news for your seafood lovers since selenium can also be found in salmon, crab, and shrimp.
We have all seen the zinc lozenges that are good for when you are feeling a little under the weather. Zinc is also recognized by the National Eye Institute a way to keep your eyes healthy as you age. Ready for some surf ‘n turf? Oysters, lobster, beef, lamb, and again, liver are all great ways to get your zinc.
So what is it about carrots? World War 2 propaganda by the United States! With the secret development of radar, the Americans started a rumor that the reason way American bombers and bombardiers were so accurate was that they ate plenty of carrots.
And the rabbits? Well, a human’s eyesight has developed for close up work, like foraging and locomotion. A rabbit’s eyesight has developed for distance to spot and avoid predators, so they tend to be far-sighted. Evolution for the win!
