Good fats, bad fats, no fats!  Fats can be a good thing in your diet but which one is necessary for normal functioning vision?  Studies show that vitamin E is a group of 8 fat-soluble vitamins. A powerful antioxidant, it can help in the prevention of many lifestyle diseases.  Health experts claim that cataracts and macular degeneration, both age related diseases, can be prevented by a variety of food sources that contain vitamin E.

What:

As you get older, eyes, like all other organs, need more vitamins to stay healthy in your latter years. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin and can be stored in the body.  When taken with selenium, a mineral (found in Brazil nuts, Sun flower seeds, Bran (Wheat, Rice and Oat), vitamin E is easily absorbed by the body, leading to positive effects.

Where:

While vitamin E can be easily found in non vegetable and fruit sources.  To help avoid unhealthy fats, only well knownplant sources are listed:

• Alfalfa
• Avocado
• Asparagus
• Tomato
• Lettuce
• Nuts (*almonds, hazelnuts, *peanuts, *pine nuts, pistachios, pecans,)
• Orange bell peppers
• Herbs (*Basil and Oregano) as well as other herbs:  Sage, Thyme, Parsley, and Cumin
• *Green olives
• *Dried Apricots
• Wheat germ
• Oil (olive, vegetable, sunflower, safflower, and soybean, and canola, peanut and flax seed)
• Whole grain products
• *Spinach (lightly cooked)
• *Taro Root
• Swiss chard
• Mustard greens
• Collard greens
• Papaya
• Mangos
• *Paprika and Red Chili Powder

Note: * Plant Foods highest in Vitamin E  

How:

Eating a well balanced diet is best recommended for optimum health.   Supplements do not supply the full spectrum of benefits of Vitamin E as it is not a single compound but rather it is made up of 8 different compounds.  High quantities ofVitamin E can lead to excessive bleeding, or hemorrhaging.  Vitamin E deficiency is usually associated with extremely low fat diets and is rarely found in the United States. Deficiency symptoms include pain, muscle weakness, retinal degeneration and other defects.

Disclaimer: Any medical or nutritional information given in this or any article on the Allied Eye Associates web site for educational purposes only,and is not intended to diagnose or treat a particular aliment.  Please consult your physician as for your best plan.RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) will vary with sex and age.