15
Mar
Not just carrots, fish contains essential nutrients such as vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids which make an important contribution to eye care at any age.
Fish is the primary source of omega-3 fatty acids which are found in every body cell. Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid found naturally in the retina. Fish, rich in DHA, may aid retina health and help protect the eyes at any age. It’s worth noting that more than half of the retina is comprised of omega-3 DHA.
Another essential omega-3 is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). While DHA is found in high concentrations in the retina, EPA is critical for DHA production and studies have shown that EPA greatly helps reduces the risk of inflammatory responses in the eye. Inflammation in the eye can lead to damaged eye tissue, causing poor or impacted vision.
Omega-3s are so important to eye health, that low levels of DHA and EPA have been associated with diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and dry eye syndrome. This is great news for lovers of eating fish. Salmon, mackerel, haddock, cod, herring, trout and tuna are all particularly rich in DHA and EPA.
In addition to omega-3s, fish is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Studies have shown that older folk eating fish at least once a week were much less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
To conclude, here’s an interesting video on how eating fish can benefit your eyesight. For our local customers, the provenance of the fish will differ from Dr. Berg’s prominently North American audience.
According to the NHS, a healthy, balanced diet should include at least 2 portions of fish a week.
CA Taylor
