Introduction
Do you know what is common between our salad bowl and British soldiers’ victory in World War 2? Carrots. Yes, you heard it right.
During the 1940s, amidst the intensity of World War 2, British Royal Air Force pilots utilised new radar technology to target enemies at night better. When reporters asked how soldiers could see enemies in the dark, they claimed that eating carrots improved their eyesight, which was their secret to better night vision. Learn how carrots bestowed the British Air Force with the superpower of ‘night vision.’
So what’s the truth? Do carrots really improve your eyesight?
Well, the answer to the above question can be both yes and no. Carrots won’t magically make your eyesight perfect if it’s not already great. Eating lots of carrots won’t turn someone who can’t see into someone with perfect vision. However, the vitamins in carrots can still be good for your eyes and keep them healthy.
Carrots are packed with beta-carotene, a substance the body transforms into vitamin A. Not only do they contribute to lowering cholesterol levels, but they also enhance vision. Vitamin A aids the eyes in converting light into signals sent to the brain, improving sight in low-light conditions.
Carrots: Eye-Friendly Antioxidants Inside
Free radicals are troublemakers that can damage your cells and make you age faster. If there are too many of them, they can cause problems like eye diseases. But guess what? Carrots can help prevent that!
The orange colour in carrots comes from beta-carotene, which is turned into vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A is like an extraordinary power that keeps your eyes healthy. If you don’t get enough of it, you might have trouble seeing at night, but eating carrots can help fix that.
Inside your eyes, there’s something called rhodopsin, which is like a superhero pigment that helps you see in the dark. Vitamin A is needed to make rhodopsin, and carrots provide the superhero vitamin.
Yellow carrots contain lutein, which can be really helpful in stopping age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD occurs when vision gets blurry or loses its clarity over time.
Carros and Eye Health
We’ve already talked about how they’re full of beta-carotene. Our bodies turn this into vitamin A, which is essential for keeping our vision in top shape. Here’s how carrots work their magic:
- Banishing dry eyes: Vitamin A is like a hero for the mucous membranes covering our eyes. It stops them from getting dry and uncomfortable.
- Night vision: Not having enough vitamin A can lead to something called night blindness. This is when it’s tough to see in places that aren’t very bright.
- Cornea protector: The cornea is like the clear window at the front of our eyes. Vitamin A makes sure it stays healthy, preventing serious vision problems like xerophthalmia.
- Guardians against cataracts and macular degeneration: While vitamin A doesn’t directly stop these eye issues, it plays a big part in keeping our eyes healthy overall. That’s like having a shield against the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Other Advantages of Carrots
Scientists studied carrots and found that they have more than one health benefit. Let’s examine other health benefits of carrots.
- Fight against cancer: Carrots, with their fiber magic, might protect you from colon cancer. The special stuff in carrots, called antioxidants, can also help in the battle against cancer.
- Take care of your heart: Red and orange carrots have something called lycopene, which is like a superhero shield for your heart. Eating carrots can also help keep your heart healthy by controlling things like high blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Help with digestion: Carrots have fibre, and that’s great for stopping constipation. Eating just one carrot gives you about 8% of the fibre your body needs daily. Plus, carrots can make your gut happy (the home for good bacteria)!
- Keep your blood sugar steady: Carrots are smart – they don’t make your blood sugar go crazy when you eat them. The fibre in carrots also helps keep your blood sugar levels just right.
Takeaway
So, there you have it—the amazing story of carrots and our eyes! While carrots won’t give you perfect vision, they are like sidekicks helping to keep your eyes healthy. The secret lies in beta-carotene turning into vitamin A, a crucial eye nutrient.
Remember, carrots won’t magically fix glasses or turn nighttime into daylight. Still, they are essential in preventing issues like dry eyes night blindness and keeping the cornea in good shape. Plus, they contribute to overall eye health, reducing the risk of serious problems.
So, keep munching on those crunchy orange delights and share the carrot love! They may not make you see through walls, but they do a fantastic job of keeping your eyes happy and healthy.
References
- FoodData Central. (n.d.). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/450701/nutrients
- Brauchla, M., McCabe, G. P., Miller, K. B., & Kranz, S. (2013, November 25). The effect of high fiber snacks on digestive function and diet quality in a sample of school-age children. Nutrition Journal, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-12-153
- Kunzmann, A. T., Coleman, H. G., Huang, W. Y., Kitahara, C. M., Cantwell, M. M., & Berndt, S. I. (2015, October). Dietary fiber intake and risk of colorectal cancer and incident and recurrent adenoma in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 102(4), 881–890. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.113282
- Anderson, J. W., Baird, P., Davis, R. H., Ferreri, S. P., Knudtson, M., Koraym, A., Waters, V., & Williams, C. L. (2009, April 1). Health benefits of dietary fiber. Nutrition Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00189.x
- MIYAZONO, S., ISAYAMA, T., DELORI, F. C., & MAKINO, C. L. (2011, November). Vitamin A activates rhodopsin and sensitizes it to ultraviolet light. Visual Neuroscience, 28(6), 485–497. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0952523811000423