Carrots and Eye Health: Do They Really Improve Vision?

While carrots do not actually improve vision, they do indeed help keep our eyes healthy. Orange carrots are high in beta carotene, which our bodies turn into vitamin A--essential for healthy retinas.

Benefits

• Vitamin A has been shown to prevent cataracts and reduce the risk of glaucoma.

Deficiencies

• Research shows a deficiency in vitamin A can lead to poor night vision, inflamed eyes and even blindness.

Eating Carrots

• Cooked carrots (boiled, steamed or roasted) are best, although raw carrots are very beneficial. Just 1/2 cup of cooked carrots can provide four times the RDA of vitamin A.

Selecting/Storing

• Older and pre-cut carrots lose nutritional value. Look for firm carrots without cracks and with the (nonwilted) greens still attached. Remove greens before storing carrots to avoid depleting vitamins. Store carrots in a plastic bag in the fridge; use within 1 week.

Additional Benefits

• Beta carotene in carrots may help prevent certain types of cancer and heart disease. Carrots also contain alpha carotene which may help restrain tumor growth processes.

Fun Fact

• Worldwide, there are several hundred varieties of carrots that come in colors including purple, black and white.