Not only ‘berries’: green leafy vegetables also have precious substances for the eyes
The wrinkles that appear on the face over the years are, they say, the fault of free radicals. Even the eyes are affected. How to reduce oxidative stress? Even with a diet rich in antioxidants.
We instinctively think of berries, blueberries, carrots, cod liver oil, but we lose sight of other precious substances. Which ones? “Lutein and zeaxanthin are allied antioxidants contained in green leafy vegetables,” explains Luciano Quaranta, director of the eye clinic at the University of Pavia, one of the leading experts in glaucoma. “Spinach, broccoli, chard and chicory contain vitamins (C, E and A) and mineral salts such as zinc. Flavonoids, folates, vitamin A: the protective effects also depend on the variety of the diet and other factors.
“We know that the eye is sensitive to the protective effect of antioxidants – specifies Professor Quaranta – I would like to quote a recent experimental study published in the journal Science which highlights an interesting fact about vitamin B3, niacin. This showed a neuroprotective effect at the retinal level in an innovative model of glaucoma. We have molecules capable of reducing inflammation could become this a new therapeutic paradigm, it is understood that the reduction of intraocular pressure remains the only model of treatment of glaucoma, the message must be clear.
