There is no better time to discuss the amazing benefits that massive amounts of fruits and vegetables can provide for your precious eyesight than during “Fruits and Veggies—More Matters Month.” And the color of your foods matters, too—the richer the color, the better! So when you are thinking of protecting your vision, think red, green, yellow/orange and blue/purple—and plenty of them!

According to the American Dietetic Association, “An eating pattern packed with plenty of fruits and vegetables includes two to three servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables each day.” So when you plan your menu, color-code it, and watch what a difference colors can make!

Red
Red vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes—which is actually a fruit—and processed tomato products, watermelon, pink grapefruit and red peppers are great for your eyes because they contain lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps to both prevent cataracts and destroy free radicals that can affect your eyesight. Since the body does not naturally produce lycopene, you can only get it from eating foods that are rich in this antioxidant.

Cooked tomatoes and tomato products such as spaghetti sauce, tomato juice, ketchup and pizza sauce are the main sources of lycopene in the average American diet today—good news if you’re a pizza fan! Amazingly, your body can absorb lycopene BETTER when it is eaten in these forms—for reasons that are still not clear. So if you cook fresh tomatoes with a little oil, it does wonders for how well your body can absorb the lycopene.

Green
Go for the green—green and leafy fruits and vegetables contain the amazing antioxidant lutein, which fights against the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts and helps maintain good vision. This antioxidant is found in collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, green peas, honeydew melons and kiwifruits.

Yellow/Orange
Say YES to yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangos, cantaloupe, apricots and peaches which are rich in beta-carotene, and oranges, lemons, grapefruits, tangerines, papaya and nectarines that contain bioflavonoids. Both beta-carotene and bioflavonoids are powerhouse antioxidants that work hard to maintain good vision.

Blue/Purple
Blue and purple vegetables such as black currants, blackberries, blueberries, eggplant, elderberries, purple grapes, plums, pomegranates, purple cabbage, prunes and raisins also contain that powerful antioxidant, lutein, which supports retinal health.

And don’t forget the peels! If you are removing the peels before you eat these colorful fruits and vegetables, you are throwing away many of the nutrients that nourish your precious sight. A great idea is to toss several of your favorite fruits and vegetables of all colors—including the peels—into the blender and enjoy a healthy, nutritious smoothie!

So are you feeding your eyes the right foods or are you starving them to death? Most vision loss is just Nature’s way of telling you your eyes aren’t getting the nutrients they need. So if the words on your computer or TV screen are blurry and difficult to read, small type in a newspaper or phone book give you a headache, and if driving after dark is simply not possible, feed your eyes with plenty of fruits and vegetables… and you’ll SEE the results.