Blueberries are just about the best food you could consume for protecting your vision

In a prior article about the best foods for fit eyes, I strongly recommended blueberries, grapes and raisins. I said, "According to Dr. Abel, [blueberries, grapes and raisins] contain anthocyanins, which improve night vision. A cup full of blueberries, huckleberry jam, or a 100 mg bilberry supplement should improve dark adaptation within 30 minutes."

In a recent online article for Psychology Today by Daniel A. Marano entitled Nature's Bounty: The Smartest Food, the author says that research from the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging revels that dark-hued fruits and vegetables, especially blueberries, are just about the best foods you could consume for inoculating brain and body against the ravages of time.

We know that the optic nerve is part of the brain. We also know that glaucoma directly involves visual centers in the brain -- its affects are not limited to the optic nerve. Therefore, the Psychology Today article is relevant to anyone interested in fit and healthy eyes.

Neuroscientist James A. Joseph, of the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, calls blueberries "brainberries". There is even evidence that blueberries can help us grow new nerve cells. It is a good thing I love blueberries and eat them regularly!

If you want to see how closely this research relates to glaucoma, take a look at my article explaining the role of inflamation and oxidation in glaucoma. "Cumulatively the berries produce antioxidant effects, neutralizing cellular damage created by free radicals of oxygen and blocking pathways by which oxidative stress damages cells. Perhaps more important, they function as anti-inflammatory agents to preserve cardiovascular as well as brain integrity."

The article also points out that phytochemical-rich berries can multiply their own brain-saving effects when eaten with certain fat-rich foods such as walnuts. Read the article for full details.