Orange Juice for Better Vision
Of all the juices that can offer benefits to your eyes, orange and grapefruit juices rank right at the top. These two power packed beverages contain nutrients are rich in vitamins necessary to the function of the eyes. Vitamins A and C are two antioxidants that pack a powerful punch when it comes to enriching the eyes. Folate, or vitamin B9, is also an important antioxidant found in both fruits. Orange juice in particular promotes healthy ocular blood vessels, and can reduce the risk of nuclear cataracts (clouding in the center of your lens that can make you see multiple images), according to the American Optometric Association.
In a 15-year study of 2,000 Australian adults ages 50 and over, researchers found that an orange — or a couple cups of orange juice a day — was helpful at keeping macular degeneration, or the disease that causes loss of vision, at bay. The research demonstrated that participants who had a simple serving of oranges (or orange juice) reduced their risk of getting age-related macular degeneration 15 years later by more than 60%. Flavonoids — or the chemicals that give oranges their bright color — appeared to be particularly helpful at preventing this particular eye disease. Interestingly, oranges had superior eye benefits than other foods that had flavonoids like apples.
Getting 500 mg/day of vitamin C can slow the “the progression of advanced age-related macular degeneration by about 25 percent and visual acuity loss by 19 percent in individuals at high-risk for the disease,” according to an Age-Related Eye Disease Study. OJ is one of the highest sources of vitamin C, according to the USDA.