Foods that promote healthy eye in teens are carrot, spinach, nuts, broccoli, eggs, whole grains, fish, red bell pepper, citrus fruits and sunflower seeds.

Teenage years is the time when your child begins to relish his or her newly found freedom and starts to protest against healthy food. However, if you consider today’s scenario, vision problem is one major issue among teens these days. If you enter a room where there are three teenagers, you are likely to find two them wearing spectacles. Therefore, as a parent, it is extremely important for you to know about foods which will keep your child’s eyes healthy. Here is a list of some must have food for healthy eyes in teens:

11 Amazing Foods for Healthy Eye in Teens

Carrot

This goes without saying that carrots are the best food which can improve your eye health and all kinds of vision problem. Carrots contain a whole lot of beta-carotene, which is an anti-oxidant and also contains Vitamin A. It has been scientifically proven that carrots not only improve vision but they also prevent deterioration of eyesight. The two major causes of eyesight deterioration namely inflammation and oxidative damage can be prevented by consumption of carrots.

Spinach

Spinach is rich in a whole lot of nutrients. It contains Vitamins E, A, B, C and minerals like zinc and iron, and phytonutrients like zeaxanthin and lutein. These have anti-inflammatory properties which are helpful for the eye health. The zinc content in spinach is effective in keeping the cornea healthy. Its regular consumption can also prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. So, without much ado, add a bunch of spinach to your child’s food and keep their eyes healthy.

Nuts

Peanuts are a great source of healthy fats that are considered great for better eyesight. They are also rich in Vitamin E which help prevent inflammation. Statistics and research have also shown that consumption of nuts regularly over years can also prevent age-related cataract formation later in life. You can offer to your kids a mix of all kinds of nuts regularly every morning. This not only helps in keeping their eyes healthy but leads to better overall development in teenage years.

Broccoli

Broccoli is one vegetable that has a host of functions for the body. Extremely rich in Vitamins A, C and E, broccoli especially improves eyesight and rectifies vision problems. It is one of those green vegetables that can serve magic to your kid’s eye health. The lutein content in broccoli also makes it a great healthy food for better eyes. It also prevents oxidative damage and photodamage, thereby keeping the eyes healthy and full proof.

Eggs

If you are a non-vegetarian, make sure you include at least one egg to your child’s regular diet. They are loaded with amino acids which are essential for proper development of vision and contain vitamins, both water soluble and fat soluble. The yolk of the egg is extremely rich in cholesterol which again is an essential nutrient for a healthy vision. An egg in any form, be it fried, boiled or poach can do wonders to your kid’s eyes.

Whole grains

Whole grains are very rich in phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers which surely improve eye vision in more ways than one. It contains zinc and iron which are the main nutrients that promote eye health and prevent all kinds of oxidative damage and inflammation. So, make sure you have different whole grains on your child’s diet every now and then.

Fish

This goes without saying that fishes are probably the best food available that can do wonders for your eye health. If you live in a city where you get all kinds of fish, remember that your job is reduced to less than half. Omega 3 and fatty acids are contained in most fishes. They not only strike a balance in the acid content but also prevents inflammation of any kind. So, consuming fishes like tuna, salmon and mackerel are extremely good for your kid’s eyes.

Dairy Products

Dairy products especially milk and yoghurt are extremely good for improving vision in teenagers. Loaded with calcium, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin A, they can protect the cornea, transfer the vitamins to different parts of the body and even rectify vision that is already damaged. Zinc specially also helps in night vision.

Red bell paper

This might seem to be a bit of surprise for you, but red bell papers are a great source of Vitamins A, C and E which are essential for our eyes. They also contain zeaxanthin and lutein which helps prevent macular degeneration and prevents oxidative damage, thereby keeping the retina healthy. It is best when your kid consumes it raw or blanched.

Read More: 21 Health Benefits of Pepper in Your Child’s Diet

Citrus fruits

This is one more obvious food in the list after fish and carrot. Our eyes have a very high metabolic rate and are in constant need of antioxidants. These antioxidants are provided by the citrus fruits and they work by flushing out the many toxins that are produced as a result of the metabolic reactions. They are also loaded with vitamin C which of course is very good for maintaining healthy eyes in teenagers.

Sunflower seeds

It is well known that sunflower seeds are very useful for our overall health. However, what most of us do not know that being rich in Vitamin E, healthy fats and proteins, they are very useful in removing metabolic wastes from the eyes. Therefore, these keep the vision prim and proper.

So without much ado, make sure that from tomorrow itself, you include these food items in your child’s diet to keep their eyes healthy and fit! Happy parenting!