Do Blueberries and Carrots Improve Vision?

Despite popular belief, no.

In theory, if you have been eating only white rice or potatoes for years, not including animal and vegetable products, for example, orange ones, then blueberries and carrots could help – because, in this case, there may be a deficiency of vitamin A. And already, this may lead to excessive dryness of the cornea or night blindness/night blindness.

But if your diet is varied, you eat animal products, vegetables, and fruits; then you gain the right amount of vitamin A without problems.

For example, carrots contain beta-carotene, converted into vitamin A in the human body. It is found in many plant foods. And to get a daily dose of vitamin A, it is enough to consume 50 g of carrots – and already under this condition, dryness of the cornea or night blindness will not develop.

The same daily allowance can be obtained from two chicken eggs in their pure form. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to imagine a situation in which a modern person lacks vitamin A.

Where did the myth about the benefits of blueberries and carrots for the eyes come from?

It is said that the myth about the effect of carrots on eye health has been spread since the Second World War when the consumption of the root vegetable was used to explain the visual acuity of British pilots.

However, there is another simpler explanation. When vitamin A deficiency was found to affect health seriously, policies were adopted in third-world countries to prevent diseases such as night blindness, and carrots were quite sensibly included in these recommendations.

But we must understand that hemeralopia is far from the most common disease among vision problems. Most people suffer from nearsightedness or astigmatism. But neither blueberries nor carrots can affect the course of these diseases.

What substances in blueberries and carrots are credited with beneficial properties

Vitamin A and its provitamin beta-carotene. And lutein can also lead to vision problems – dry eye syndrome, night blindness, or a tendency to conjunctivitis.

All these substances can be obtained from different sources. And if we adhere to the principle of the rainbow, then their deficiency does not threaten us.

Lutein is found in many foods, not just the dark purple ones – it’s abundant in leafy greens or broccoli. Therefore, if you eat green salads, then chasing blueberries is not necessary.

However, the more varied the diet, the better our health from all points of view. For example, there is such a thing as age-related macular degeneration – the main cause of blindness in older people. And a balanced diet may protect the eyes from aging, but it won’t reverse the process.

Do I need to take vitamin A in the form of dietary supplements?

Vitamin A is fat soluble, which means it can be stored in the body. And its excess can negatively affect health and lead to dangerous consequences – up to cirrhosis of the liver or death.

It is almost impossible to sort out vitamin A above the norm from foods. As we said above, vitamin A is present in animal products and vegetable products – in the form of beta-carotene. However, it is converted into a vitamin only if your body needs it. At the same time, an unreasonable intake of dietary supplements can lead to negative health consequences.

With lutein supplements, everything is also challenging. Today, there is no data on its toxicity, but this does not mean otherwise – it has yet to be specifically studied.

There is no need to expose yourself to potential risk. It’sEating a varied diet rather than obsessing over carrots or blueberries is much better.

What foods can help vision?

In addition to animal products: dark green, purple, orange, and yellow fruits, vegetables, and berries. We named specific products in another article – about the benefits and harms of vitamin A. Each pigment has its health benefits. Therefore, we recommend adhering to the rainbow principle- including foods of different colors in the diet. And yes, it can contain some of the factors in the development of vision problems.

But if there is a genetic predisposition, for example, to myopia or astigmatism, then at least eat vitamin products; at least don’t eat it; this will not stop or even slow down the deterioration of vision.

Have blueberries and carrots help your eyes, or do you love them for something else? Tell me in the comments.