Vegetables important for eye health, The Early Show reports

December 28, 2009

Many Americans begin the New Year with resolutions about eating a more balanced diet. The FDA recommends that the average American adult should have about four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit a day.

Though fitting in all of those recommended veggies might be easier said than done, consider the latest wisdom regarding overall eye health if you need a little extra motivation.

CBSnews.com has reported that in addition to improving and preserving your wellbeing, the vitamins and antioxidants in vegetables are beneficial to your eyesight as well.

CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton appeared on The Early Show, and the eye-expert extolled the benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants found in colorful vegetables.

Ashton told the news source that leafy green vegetables like spinach and broccoli, as well as yellow-colored foods like orange peppers and honeydew melon, are excellent sources of sight-preserving nutrients.

"The thinking is that our eyes age just like other parts of our body, and […] these substances can really make a big difference in preventing things like macular degeneration and cataracts," Ashton said.