Leafy vegetables prevent cataract

Consumption of green leafy vegetables reduces the risk of age-related cataract, a leading cause of vision loss.Researchers from the Ohio State University in Columbus, USA, found that green leafy vegetables are rich in antioxidants called lutein (LUT) and zeaxanthin (ZEA). When human eye cells are treated with these antioxidants they show less damage after being exposed to ultraviolet rays, the sunlight ingredient considered to be a major contributor to cataracts.Cataract occurs when the protein in the eye's lens begin to clump together, forming a milky cloud that obscures vision. The research suggests that the more sunlight you are exposed to in life, the greater your risk. Foods that contain high doses of lutein and zeaxanthin include spinach, cabbage, lettuce and fenugreek. Researchers suggest that people who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables seem to have a lower risk of age-related cataracts.

To investigate, researchers grew human lens cells in a laboratory and added lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E, or left the cells alone. The researchers then exposed the eye cells to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, in order to mimic the effect of sunlight. They found that lens cells mixed with lutein and zeaxanthin showed significantly less damage following UV-exposure than cells that had no shielding from antioxidants. Though vitamin E appeared to offer some protection from UV rays, it was surpassed by both lutein and zeaxanthin.It is better to eat antioxidant-rich foods than supplements, in order to get the benefits of other healthy substances present in foods.

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