A healthy, nutrient-rich diet is not only an important lifestyle choice, but it also helps to protect your vision and maintain good eyesight. Read below for more information on foods for vision, including a list of our favorite healthy recipes.

For the latest information on foods that help protect your eyes (and for more smoothie recipes), read our recent article on our blog.

The Benefits of Vitamin A
Foods containing vitamin A are known for their ability to help people maintain good eyesight and have excellent skin. Vitamin A-rich foods also act as an immune system booster. Other comprehensive studies show the retina and tissues found behind the eyes are a large source of vitamin A within the human body.

Xerophthalmia, a severe eye disorder, results from night blindness, causing closure of the cornea. This condition ultimately results in rupturing of the eyes. Foods with vitamin A have profound and sometimes immediate effects on those who suffer from Xerophthalmia. In some cases, patients get their eyesight back within 24 hours of their night blindness.

In addition to these benefits, vitamin A also helps keep eyes and retinas moist to prevent the onset of many eyesight problems. However, vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be harmful to your eyes if an improper dosage is taken. It is important to consult a doctor before taking vitamin A supplements for your eyes.

The easiest way to consume a correct amount of vitamin A is to eat foods containing the nutrient. Consuming these foods will not cause toxicity, so you can protect your eyes without worry. Foods containing vitamin A include:

-Sweet potatoes or yams
-Liver
-Cantaloupe
-Carrots
-Butternut squash
-Spinach
-Eggs

The Benefits of Zinc
Certain minerals are thought to be connected with healthy eyes. For example, studies show zinc helps reduce the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Consuming high levels of zinc, along with antioxidant vitamins, could help reduce the risk of developing AMD by about 25 percent.

Healthy Recipes for Sight
Good health begins with eating nutritious and wholesome foods. Eating good-for-you food will give your body the boost of energy it needs for you to exercise and accomplish the tasks in your day. We compiled a list of delicious, healthy recipes, including recipes for breakfast, entrees, snacks, dessert, salads, and smoothies. There are even some recipes for vegan eating! The first section provides links to the best resources on maintaining a healthy diet.

Eating Healthy

• Vitamin A/Beta-Carotene Rich Foods — Eat these foods to promote your eye health.
• USDA My Plate — A visual that shows how much to eat of each food group.
• Healthy eating guide — Food.com’s guide to eating healthy.
• Find organic food — Enter your zip to find local, fresh organic food.
• Healthy meat information — The Mayo Clinic’s guide to healthy poultry and meat.

Healthy Breakfast Recipes

• Whole wheat butternut squash pancakes — These pancakes will give you a boost of energy for your day.
• Salmon and egg sandwich — With heart-healthy salmon, egg whites and whole wheat bread, this delicious breakfast sandwich is a great start to the day.
• Multi-grain waffles — These made-from-scratch waffles are full of good carbs and fats.
• Mixed berry salad — A parfait-type salad with low-fat yogurt and high-fiber fruits.
• Creative oatmeal recipes — 7 healthy oatmeal recipes from Oprah.com.
• How to make soft-boiled eggs — Learn how to make soft-boiled eggs for a high-protein breakfast.

Healthy Dish Recipes

• Healthy pasta — A delicious, quick pasta dish full of protein, antioxidants and fiber.
• Light tuna salad recipe — A healthy, spicy take on traditional tuna salad, good for heart health.
• >Shrimp stir fry recipe — Make this healthy stir fry in only 15 minutes.
• Pork tenderloin and avocado salad — This gluten-free salad could be an entree or a side dish.
• Zucchini boats — A vegetarian dish of stuffed zucchini.
• Healthy beef dish — This beef entree includes tenderloin, cranberry, pear and honey.

Vegan Recipes

• Zucchini pesto “pasta” — This recipe substitutes raw zucchini for pasta to make it a healthy vegan meal.
• Vegan cake recipes — Includes recipes for vegan white cake, lemon and chocolate.
• Vegan breakfast bars — Breakfast bars that contain oats, flaxseed and bananas.
• Vegan potato salad — Two delicious vegan potato salad recipes.
• Vegan frittata recipe — An egg-less frittata recipe with tofu, zucchini, shallots and fresh oregano.
• Vegan burger recipe — Perfect for a cookout, this vegan burger includes healthy beans, carrot and oats.
• Vegan biscuits recipe — This vegan herbed biscuit recipe includes soy milk and fresh herbs like parsley, chives and thyme.

Healthy Salad Recipes

• Wild rice and edamame salad recipe — A unique take on a rice and edamame salad, full of protein, vitamins, fiber and minerals.
• Couscous Tofu Greek Salad recipe — This tasty, vegetarian salad is a great source of protein through tofu.
• Light Caesar salad — Some simple substitutions make this Caesar salad healthy.
• Quinoa black bean salad recipe — This salad is a great source of protein and fiber.
• Southwestern steak salad recipe — This salad full of healthy beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes and onion is a lean alternative to restaurant Mexican food.
• Healthy salad recipes from real-foods — Two healthy recipes: turkey sandwich salad and Indonesian salad.

Healthy Snack Recipes

• Carrot fries recipe —  These baked carrot fries are a healthy alternative to their fried counterpart.
• Coconut and banana popsicles — Stay away from ice cream with this healthy cool treat alternative.
• Homemade hummus recipe — A healthy hummus recipe from the Mayo Clinic.
• Cottage cheese veggie dip — This snack uses low-fat cottage cheese to make a delicious veggie dip.
• Spiced pecans recipe — Skip the chips and snack on spicy baked pecans. They are full of vitamin E, antioxidants and magnesium.

Healthy Dessert Recipes

• Low-fat cheesecake recipe — With fat-free dairy products, no-calorie sweetener, 100 calorie cookies and low-fat cool whip,  this cheesecake has great taste and hundreds less calories than regular cheesecake.
• Chocolate berry dessert – From the South Beach Diet, this recipe combines berries, sugar substitute and bittersweet chocolate.
• Low-fat sherbet recipe — A sweet, cold alternative to ice cream.
• Applesauce cookie recipe — These cookies substitute unsweetened applesauce for oil and butter. They are full of healthy ingredients like oatmeal and raisins.
• Black bean brownies recipe — Substitute flour with black beans to make a healthier brownie.
• Healthy apple pie recipe — Make a healthy apple pie with only 10 grams of fat.

Healthy Smoothie Recipes

• The Stay Young Smoothie — A delicious smooth jam-packed with healthy antioxidants and low-fat yogurt.
• Green Machine Smoothie — This recipe is rich in kale, romaine, parsley, and tropical fruits.
• Vitamin A Kale and Pear Smoothie — This smoothie from vitamix.com is rich in vitamin A, promoting eye health and a stronger immune system.
• Strawberry Almond Butter Smoothie — A tasty smoothie full of vitamin C.
• Banana almond flax smoothie – A delicious smoothie full of potassium, iron and zinc that will aid in digestion.
• Mango smoothie recipe — A low-fat and tasty smoothie.
• Blueberry banana and organic whey smoothie recipe — Full of antioxidants, protein and minerals, this organic smoothie makes a great breakfast.

Resources on Foods that Protect Vision

• AARP: “Ten Super Foods to Protect your Vision”
• MSNBC: “Protect Your Eyes with These Foods”
• Livestrong: “Vitamins to Help Against Nerve Damage in the Eye”