Vitamin C and Kids' Eye Health
Posted by abrandt on May 20th 2019
The first thoughts for most when vitamin C comes up in conversation are oranges and colds, but there are more benefits vitamin C offers for children's eye health.
What is it?
Vitamin C, (ascorbic acid), is an antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables. This powerful micronutrient is used for skincare, reducing cholesterol levels, and yes, strengthening the immune system. But what good does it do kids' eyes? When taken with other nutrients, vitamin C can help protect kids' vision from long-term age-related eye health issues. Many orange-colored fruits and vegetables are a good source of vitamin C (especially sweet potatoes), which helps the body form and maintain connective eye tissue, but most kids in the U.S. follow a Western diet. This means they're not getting enough fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C to help protect their vision as they grow.
Regardless of age, almost all cells of the body depend on vitamin C, the eye especially. There are concentrations of this vitamin throughout the tissue of the eye, but our bodies don't replenish the amounts of vitamin C we're born with. This means we need to get this nutrient through our diet and by taking vitamins.
Foods with vitamin C
Below is a list of foods that have high amounts of vitamin C!