What About Sugar and Salt? A plant-based, whole-foods diet high in antioxidants and fiber will eliminate excess amounts of sugar and salt, often found in prepared foods. Excess sugar can lead to diabetes, a leading cause of blindness, and it’s added to most prepared foods in the US and labeled using more than 50 different names.
PROTEIN-BASED ANTIOXIDANTS Taurine is important for maintaining eye and brain health; it’s an amino acid made from methionine and cysteine in the body. These substances are found in protein-based foods from both vegetarian and nonvegetarian sources. Meat, fish, sea algae, and plants contain the nutrients needed to maintain healthy levels of this substance in the body. ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS Essential fatty acids don’t necessarily have a high antioxidant content, but they’re critical for the absorption and function of other antioxidant nutrients, including lutein and zeaxanthin (carotenoids). The essential fatty acids omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and omega 6 (linoleic acid) must be consumed in a balanced way to avoid inflammation and to keep the blood from getting too “sticky.” Inflammation has been implicated in eye, brain, and cardiovascular disease, and it also increases the body’s need for antioxidants. Omega 3 dampens inflammatory response while omega 6 often promotes it, so your diet should 54 i m a g e h e a l t h w a t c h •
2019