The disease-fighting compounds lutein and zeaxanthin are phytochemicals in the same family as beta-carotene, which is found in plant foods, according to the World's Healthiest Foods. They are particularly important for promoting healthy eyesight. Bright orange and yellow vegetables and dark, leafy greens are generally the richest food sources of these phytochemicals. According to an article published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in March 2001, those who consume a diet that provides at least 5.8 mg per day of lutein and zeaxanthin have a significantly lower risk for developing age-related macular degeneration than those whose diet contains the least.
Leafy Green Veggies
Many dark, leafy green vegetables are rich in the phytochemicals lutein and zeaxanthin. Kale is one of the best food sources, according to WomenFitness.net; providing 20.5 to 26.5 mg per cup, cooked. Other leafy greens that provide substantial amounts include cooked spinach, which offers 20.4 mg and collard greens, which provide 14.6 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin per cup, cooked. Cooked turnip greens round out the richest leafy green food sources of these phytochemicals, providing 12.2 mg per cup. Cooking increases the carotenoid content and availability. One cup of raw spinach, while still an excellent food source, offers substantially less lutein and zeaxanthin, 3.7 mg per cup. Romaine lettuce provides about 1.3 mg per cup.
Other Vegetables
Other vegetables, green and otherwise, are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, such as zucchini, a green variety of summer squash, broccoli, green peas, yellow sweet corn and carrots. According to ELook.org, one cup of cooked zucchini, with skin, provides 2.1 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin. All About Vision reports that 1 cup of cooked broccoli provides 1.7 mg. One cup of green peas, cooked, provides 2.2 mg. Yellow sweet corn and carrots are also good sources of these phytonutrients. One cup of yellow sweet corn, from canned, drained, provides about 1.6 mg and 1 cup of cooked carrots offers about 1.1 mg.
Fruits and Egg Yolks
Fruits and egg yolks are a food source of lutein and zeaxanthin, but offer much less of these phytochemicals than their leafy green vegetable counterparts. Japanese persimmons and tangerines or Mandarin oranges are good food sources of these phytochemicals, providing 1.4 mg and 0.5 mg per fruit, respectively. Other fruits that contain small amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin include kiwi fruits, California avocados, kumquats and apricots. Egg yolks are one of the few animal-derived foods that provide small amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin. Two large egg yolks offer approximately 0.3 mg.
References
- Women Fitness: Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
- "American Journal of Epidemiology"; Lutein and zeaxanthin in the diet and serum and their relation to age-related maculopathy in the third national health and nutrition examination survey; JA Mares-Perlman et al.; March 2001
- All About Vision: Lutein and Zeaxanthin: Eye and Vision Benefits
- All About Vision: Foods Containing Lutein and Zeaxanthin
