High-sugar Foods Leading Cause of AMD Vision Loss
AMD is an eye condition that normally affects people late in life causing a deterioration of central vision. This condition is related to the macula of the eye, the part of the eye that controls vision focus and sharpness. The macula is located in the center of the eye's retina - a light sensitive tissue that converts lights into images and electric impulses to send to the brain for interpretation.
That high-sugary food diets is a contributing variable to age-related macular degeneration of the eye was furthermore proven in a nationwide study conducted by researchers Chung-Jung Chiu and Allen Taylor at Tufts University's Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
The study included over 4,000 adults in the U.S between the ages 55-80. All participants had to document their dietary habits and test for AMD. Special attention was focused on foods such as sugary items and refined grains, ranking high in the glycemic index - foods that raise blood sugar levels.
And though the study did not entirely exclude other factors as a cause of AMD, foods that increase blood sugar levels showed a clear connection with cases of advanced AMD.The study goes on to list nutritious foods and diets that may help prevent AMD, including whole grains, antioxidants, vegetables and legumes - all also listed low in the glycemic index.
By keeping a diet rich of low-glycemic-index-ranking foods, a person's chances of avoiding AMD can hence be increased. And while the question exactly how and why high-sugary foods may cause this type of vision deterioration remains unanswered, the message is clear.
The connection exists and in order to maintain a healthy body, heart and eyesight, a low-sugar diet is a must. Regular eyesight check ups are also recommended. AMD is an eyesight condition that can be detected and treated at an early stage.
Written by Anders Wedin, Optician
6 Comments
Add Your Comment
ADVERTISING
New
- FROM DIET BLOG
- On-Off Fasting: Does It Work?
- 400 Calorie Fix
- 5 Factor World Diet
- Quick Giveaway: Powerhouse Weight Loss Game
- FORUM
- Low Carb Atkins Diet- Tips to Cut the Carbs.
- How Can I Gain a Healthy Weight and Keep it?
- How Do I Eat Healthy at University?
- Starving Myself and Exercising, But Not Losing an Ounce?
Categories
| Body Image Celebrities Diet Pills Diets Exercise |
Fast Food Funny Stuff Success Stories Teens and Kids Tips and Tools |
RSS Feed
Follow @DietBlog on Twitter
AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50 in the U.S. By the time it shows up in most people, it's too late to do much about it in terms of diet and smoking cessation.
Specific foods associated with a lower incidence of macular degeneration are fish, spinach, kale, collard greens, yellow corn, broccoli, sweet potatoes, squash, orange bell peppers, oranges, mangoes, apricots, peaches, honeydew melon and papaya.
Two unifying phytochemical in these plants are lutein and zeazanthin, which are also found in red grapes, kiwi fruit, lima beans, green beans, and green bell peppers.
I wonder if the high-glycemic index eaters, who had more macular degeneration, replaced these preventative foods with high-GI foods.
-Steve
ReplyIn line with Dr. Parker's observations, I wonder if the increased AMD results were due more to the lack of lutein rather than the presence of sugar.
ReplyI'm guessing that levels of glucose that are too high will damage small blood vessels in the retina, which would definitely attribute to AMD. Perhaps lutein helps to preserve the integrity and flexibility of the blood vessels to keep the retina intact.
On another note, I'm pretty sure most foods that are high in lutein are low in refined sugar and most foods that are high in sugar don't contain much lutein. I'd be interested in knowing whether or not a diet rich in both lutein AND refined sugar would prevent AMD.
ReplySugar keeps comming up as the ogre doesn't it? I wonder if there are any studies showing whether cane or beet sugar are any different than high fructose sugar which is vastly sweeter than natural sugars?
ReplyWe know that high levels of sugar is toxic to the body. And in the most extreme cases of hyperglycemia people die (often diabetic coma).
I think the important thing for public health is for people to realize that excess processed sugar is not only bad for the waistline. It's bad for every system.
ReplyWe've known for some time that sugar causes disease period. Read Gary Taubes book.
Reply