- Just a few handfuls a day for four months improved key markers of eye health
- Grapes are high in antioxidants that keep eyes healthy, scientists believe
- READ MORE: Are YOU a ‘fruit-phobe’? Doctors debunk the myth that too much is bad
If you’re picky about vegetables, your eyesight doesn’t have to suffer.
A new study suggests that the beloved grapes are just as good for your eyes as carrots, which have long been known for their face-clearing effects.
Just a few handfuls of grapes per day for four months were found to improve key markers of eye health.
The secret lies in the fact that much degeneration of the eyes is due to oxidative stress, and grapes contain many antioxidants.
For the same reasons, grapes have also been shown to quickly lower cholesterol, with research now indicating they are among an elite group of superfruits.
A new study suggests that grapes are as good for your eyes as carrots, which have long been known for their face-clearing effects
In the latest study, a team from the National University of Singapore enrolled 34 adults who consumed either one and a half cups of grapes per day or a placebo for 16 weeks.
The grape eaters showed a significant increase in macular pigment optical density (MPOD), plasma antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content compared to those given placebo.
Those who did not consume grapes saw a significant increase in harmful ocular advanced glycation end products (AGE), measured in the skin.
The study, published in the journal Food & Function, said the main risk factors for eye diseases are oxidative stress and high levels of AGE.
The researchers found that AGEs may contribute to many eye diseases by damaging the vascular components of the retina, impairing cellular function and causing oxidative stress.
Grapes, which are a natural source of antioxidants and other polyphenols, can reduce oxidative stress and inhibit the formation of AGEs, with possible beneficial effects on the retina, such as an improvement in MPOD.
Co-author of the study Dr. Jung Eun Kim said, “Our study is the first to show that grape consumption has a beneficial impact on eye health in humans, which is very exciting, especially with a growing aging population.
‘Grapes are an easy, accessible fruit that studies have shown can have beneficial effects in normal amounts as little as 1.5 cups per day.
‘Regular intake of grapes may improve eye health in older adults, particularly by increasing MPOD, which can be explained by an increase in total antioxidant capacity and plasma phenolic content, and the downregulation of AGEs.’
