| Some friends asked, "How much lutein is good for the | | | | Zeaxanthin is the other pigment found in the macular, a |
| eyes?" In my circle of friends, I am considered | | | | tiny spot on the retina. It too is found in kale, which is |
| something of a "vitamin expert". I am committed to the | | | | why some strict naturalists recommend a daily serving |
| importance of good nutrition and sometimes I tend to | | | | of kale, rather than a supplement. Some of us just |
| ramble on about the subject. But, I thought that my | | | | don't like kale, but we still want to know how much |
| regular readers would be interested in an answer to | | | | lutein is good for the eyes. So, we go with that |
| that question and a few others. So, here goes nothing. | | | | minimum recommendation. But, we don't stop there. |
| What is Lutein? | | | | What about Lycopene? |
| It is one of the pigments found in nature. Its significance | | | | Lycopene is found in primarily in tomatoes. It is a |
| to human health has only recently been evaluated. It is | | | | related pigment, not found in abundance inside of the |
| found in the retina, a light-gathering mechanism inside of | | | | eye, but high circulating blood levels have been |
| the eye, which is what spiked the earliest research. | | | | associated with a reduced risk of ARMD. Exactly why |
| Overall, the researchers concluded that increased | | | | that would be is not clear. It may just be that people |
| intake of it and other nutrients could reduce the risk of | | | | who eat more vegetables are healthier in general. But, |
| age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), one of the | | | | if you want to know how much lutein is good for the |
| most common eye diseases of the elderly. It doesn't | | | | eyes, you are probably interested in a supplement. So, |
| usually cause total blindness, but a good deal of the | | | | here's one last question. |
| central vision is lost. | | | | What kind of Supplement Do You Take? |
| What are the Good Dietary Sources? | | | | That's a question that I get more often than any other. |
| One of the best dietary sources is kale. Although it is | | | | I take a good multi-nutritional supplement on a daily |
| found in turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, | | | | basis that contains many of the micronutrients that |
| broccoli, Brussels sprouts and many other vegetables, | | | | should be, but aren't always present in the foods that |
| as well. The problem is that it is a micronutrient. So, | | | | we eat. |
| only a very tiny amount is present in most foods. | | | | Some of the trace elements get cooked away. |
| How Much Lutein Is Good for the Eyes? | | | | Others have simply been depleted, because of |
| On that subject, researchers don't agree. A minimum | | | | over-farming and poor soil conditions. |
| of 6-10mg per day is recommended, which is just | | | | The supplement that I take contains the 50mg dose, |
| about what you would find in a good serving of kale, | | | | which is how much lutein is good for the eyes, in this |
| assuming that it is not overcooked or processed. | | | | humble writer's opinion. |
| What about Zeaxanthin? | | | | |