Good News, Eating Oranges Helps Prevent The Onset of Age-Related Vision Loss
By Aliyah Kovner
13 JUL 2018, 23:21
A new study out of Australia suggests that eating at least one serving of oranges per day can reduce one’s likelihood of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – an incurable, progressively blinding disease – thanks to the fruit’s high content of chemicals called flavonoids.
So, should you go out and buy an entire crate of citrus? Probably, but it’s a bit complicated.
There are two forms of AMD, referred to as wet and dry, that both slowly destroy the eye’s light-sensitive retina via different mechanisms. Mild cases of dry AMD are quite common in people more than 50 years old and typically have little impact. More severe cases of both types are the leading cause of visual impairment in adults, impacting upwards of 196 million people worldwide. Given that there are currently no effective treatments to restore the vision loss it causes, finding out what lifestyle factors help protect against the disease is a high priority for ophthalmologists.
Many past investigations have shown that consuming a diet rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances reduces the chance of AMD, and several particularly beneficial molecules have been identified: vitamin A, vitamin C, zeaxanthin, and lutein.
More:
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/good-news-eating-oranges-helps-prevent-the-onset-of-agerelated-vision-loss/