Raspberry 1 cup 6058.

11.

Strawberry 1 cup 5938.

12.

Red Delicious apple

One.

5900.

13.

Granny Smith apple

One.

5381.

14.

Pecan 1 ounce 5095.

15.

Sweet cherry 1 cup 4873.

16.

Black plum

One.

4844.

17.

Russet potato (cooked)

One.

4649.

18.

Black bean (dried) Half cup 4181.

19.

Plum

One.

4118.

20.

Gala apple

One.

3903.

Source: USDA; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, June 9, 2004 ANTIOXIDANT: LUTEIN.

Lutein is another antioxidant of tremendous interest to eye health researchers. Like all antioxidants, lutein can defuse potentially damaging free radicals. In addition, lutein may also prevent the development of some free radicals because it absorbs blue light-part of the short-wave spectrum of cataract-causing sunlight.

The Beaver Dam Eye study, which followed nearly 5,000 people to see what factors affected aging-related vision disorders, showed that people who ate large amounts of lutein-rich foods had a 20 percent reduced risk of cataracts compared with people who got very little lutein in their diets. Similar results were reported from the Nurses' Health Study and the U.S. Male Health Professionals Study. I don't recommend lutein supplements, however. No one knows everything there is to know about the effects of individual nutrients. It could be, for example, that lutein works best only when paired with other antioxidants, or with certain vitamins and minerals. Right now, the only solid information we have supports eating a diet full of lutein-rich leafy green vegetables, plus plus an abundance of other antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits. an abundance of other antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits.

BEST FOODS FOR LUTEIN: Kale, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard, radicchio, collard greens, summer squash (all varieties), watercress, green peas, persimmons, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, pumpkin, corn, lettuce (b.u.t.terhead, Boston, Bibb, romaine), asparagus, green beans, okra, artichokes, green bell peppers, scallions, carrots Kale, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard, radicchio, collard greens, summer squash (all varieties), watercress, green peas, persimmons, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, pumpkin, corn, lettuce (b.u.t.terhead, Boston, Bibb, romaine), asparagus, green beans, okra, artichokes, green bell peppers, scallions, carrots B VITAMINS.

There is strong evidence that two of the B vitamins-riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3)-may help prevent cataracts, and early research suggests that thiamin (vitamin B1) may also contribute to eye health.

Although these vitamins are not antioxidants, they contribute to antioxidant activity by providing some of the building blocks necessary to help the body make antioxidant compounds. So without enough riboflavin and niacin, the risk of cataracts increases. Indeed, several scientific studies have shown that people who eat a diet with plenty of foods rich in riboflavin and niacin can slash their risk of cataracts by about half compared with people who eat a diet with very little of those vitamins.

As with antioxidants, the information about the benefits of B vitamin supplements is less clear. The Blue Mountain Eye Study, the large Australian study with about 2,900 partic.i.p.ants, found that those who took riboflavin supplements had a 20 percent lower risk of cataracts compared with people who didn't take supplements. Niacin supplements lowered risk by 30 percent, and supplements of other B vitamins-thiamin, folate, and vitamin B12-also seemed to show some benefit. Combining these vitamins may have an even great effect. A large study conducted by the National Eye Inst.i.tute in Bethesda, Maryland, showed that people who took a dual supplement containing both riboflavin and niacin reduced their risk of cataracts by 44 percent. Even general multivitamins providing 100% DV for these B vitamins seem to decrease risk by more than 30 percent. As promising as these results sound, the jury is still out on exactly how much of which types of B vitamins is necessary or optimal for cataract prevention. I can only recommend food sources, not pills (with the exception of a multivitamin providing 100% DV for riboflavin and niacin).

BEST FOODS FOR RIBOFLAVIN: Liver, lean beef, venison, fortified whole grain cereals, yogurt (fat-free, low-fat), milk (fat-free, 1% reduced-fat), eggs, mushrooms (portobello, white), almonds, coffee Liver, lean beef, venison, fortified whole grain cereals, yogurt (fat-free, low-fat), milk (fat-free, 1% reduced-fat), eggs, mushrooms (portobello, white), almonds, coffee BEST FOODS FOR NIACIN: Fortified whole grain cereals, tuna (canned light), chicken breast, lean beef, veal, lean pork, mackerel (not king), turkey breast, wild salmon (fresh, canned), anchovies, kidney beans, peanut b.u.t.ter, peanuts, mushrooms, sunflower seeds Fortified whole grain cereals, tuna (canned light), chicken breast, lean beef, veal, lean pork, mackerel (not king), turkey breast, wild salmon (fresh, canned), anchovies, kidney beans, peanut b.u.t.ter, peanuts, mushrooms, sunflower seeds TEA.

Tea contains powerful antioxidants, and some research suggests that drinking relatively large amounts of tea-the equivalent of about five cups daily-may help prevent or delay cataract development. But antioxidants may tell only part of the story. While investigating the effects of tea on blood sugar in diabetic laboratory rats, researchers from the University of Scranton discovered that the animals that drank tea had lower blood sugar than those that did not drink tea. But there was also a side benefit-drinking tea reduced the level of glucose in the eye lens, and and there was a lower incidence of cataracts. In fact, the tea-drinking rats had about half the risk of cataracts as non-tea-drinkers. Both green tea and regular black tea had the same effects, so feel free to choose the type you enjoy most. Or mix it up: green tea has about half as much caffeine, so it makes a soothing drink in the later afternoon or when you want to relax. there was a lower incidence of cataracts. In fact, the tea-drinking rats had about half the risk of cataracts as non-tea-drinkers. Both green tea and regular black tea had the same effects, so feel free to choose the type you enjoy most. Or mix it up: green tea has about half as much caffeine, so it makes a soothing drink in the later afternoon or when you want to relax.

WHAT AFFECTS MACULAR DEGENERATION?.

The retina is the part of the eye that receives light and images from the world and sends them to the optic nerve to be processed in the brain. The macula is the center, most sensitive part of the retina. It fine-tunes focus at the center of our visual field, the part that allows us to recognize faces, read words on a page, and discern detail in anything we look at. Macular degeneration, then, is a deterioration of the macula, gradually leading to central blindness. Peripheral vision remains clear, so it isn't a total lack of sight, but the loss of detailed vision. As Nat's story demonstrated, it's a life-altering change all the same.

There are two types of macular degeneration: Dry (also called atrophic atrophic), caused by a gradual breakdown of light receptors; and wet (also called exudative exudative), caused by leaks in the blood vessels of the retina, which in turn cause scarring and tissue death. With both types, people usually notice vision distortions first, such as straight lines appearing wavy, along with difficulty reading and recognizing faces. As more and more receptors die, central vision disappears. In its early stages, wet macular degeneration can be treated with laser surgery to seal off the leaking vessels. There is no medical treatment for dry macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration happens most often in people over age 70, primarily women. Although it can run in families, no one knows what causes macular degeneration, or how to stop it once it begins.

HOW FOOD AFFECTS MACULAR DEGENERATION.

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a research project conducted by the National Eye Inst.i.tute, has given us some clues about how nutrition might help prevent macular degeneration, or at least delay the progression to blindness. AREDS results showed that certain antioxidant vitamins and zinc helped to slow the progression of advanced macular degeneration by about 25 percent over a six-year period. The antioxidants-vitamins C and E, and beta carotene-are thought to prevent damage caused by free radicals, and the mineral zinc is important for the health of all body tissues, but is found in unusually high concentrations in tissues of the retina.

The results of AREDS were so impressive that in the wake of the study's publication, several supplement manufacturers created special macular degeneration-fighting formulas. However, a 2006 study by researchers from Harvard Medical School linked high levels of vitamin E with increases increases in a measure of inflammation called C-reactive protein (CRP)...and high levels of CRP has been linked to a greater risk of macular degeneration. Could it be that high levels of vitamin E could somehow increase your risk? It is too soon to know. But this conflicting information caused a seismic shift in how eye doctors advised their patients-vitamin supplements can no longer be considered purely beneficial. For this reason, I cannot recommend high doses of vitamin E from supplements, even when they are part of a special macular degeneration formulation. However, I definitely recommend food sources of vitamin E, and/or a multivitamin that in a measure of inflammation called C-reactive protein (CRP)...and high levels of CRP has been linked to a greater risk of macular degeneration. Could it be that high levels of vitamin E could somehow increase your risk? It is too soon to know. But this conflicting information caused a seismic shift in how eye doctors advised their patients-vitamin supplements can no longer be considered purely beneficial. For this reason, I cannot recommend high doses of vitamin E from supplements, even when they are part of a special macular degeneration formulation. However, I definitely recommend food sources of vitamin E, and/or a multivitamin that only only provides 100% DV for vitamin E. provides 100% DV for vitamin E.