Kale is Great For Eye Health–Here’s How to Make it Go Down Easy

When someone tells you to eat more kale, your eyes probably roll. But your eyes probably want you to heed that advice, since they can benefit greatly from this leafy green that everyone seems to hate. (Except me. I’m one of those weirdos who happens to enjoy kale. Really.)

Kale and Eye Health

Why is kale good for eye health? It comes down to a couple of antioxidants. As noted on the website of the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, kale contains lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants “found in the eyes that need to be replenished regularly.” The Foundation also notes that among the many leafy greens that make up a healthy diet, kale happens to have the most lutein. 

Research has shown that lutein can protect the eyes against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and may even lower the risk of cataract formation. (Sources: Iowa State University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.)  

As to how these antioxidants protect the eyes, a study shared by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains:

“Lutein, zeaxanthin, and mesozeaxanthin are absorbers of blue visible light (400–500 nm) and thus protect the eye structures from dangerous doses of this radiation…This optical filtration is particularly important because short-wavelength (blue) light is highly reactive and could enhance photooxidative degeneration in the most sensitive neurosensory layers of the retina.” 

That’s a very technical way of saying that blue light damages the retina and our antioxidant friends can absorb that light before it hits the retina. (The report is very interesting if you are of a scientific bent, so I do encourage you to click through if you are interested in learning more.) 

One further point from the NIH report: lutein and zeaxanthin have to come from the diet. These antioxidants “can only be synthesized by plants—green vegetables, especially kale, spinach, lettuce, and broccoli, are high in their content. Therefore, these substances must be supplied to the body with the diet.”  

So Do I Actually Have to Eat Kale?

Well, not necessarily. As noted above, it is the best source but not the only source of lutein and zeaxanthin. In addition to spinach, lettuce, and broccoli mentioned as sources of lutein by the NIH, for zeaxanthin you can also look to a different part of the colour spectrum: orange sweet peppers, corn, tangerines, oranges, and persimmon. (The NIH report mentions a few other nutrients that might protect against AMD: copper, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids.)

If you take a pass on kale, you’ll still do well to add some kind of leafy green to your diet, like spinach, Swiss chard or collard greens. 

But You Really Should Try Kale

Whether you go with kale or another leafy green, here are some easy–and tasty–ways to introduce them to your diet.  

• A green smoothie. You won’t even taste the kale!
• A quick and easy kale salad. You may taste the kale here but a strong dressing and the acid of the tomatoes will offset it to a large extent. 
• Another variation on kale salad. In this one you steam the kale and add some olives, onion, garlic, lemon and salt. The kale is thinly sliced, so not as powerful as you might think. And all the other ingredients add a solid punch of flavour.  
• Add spinach or kale to an omelette. With a bit of cheese and a lot of other vegetables, the kale will blend right in. 

Pro Tips

• Kale comes in large bunches and there are at least a couple of varieties available at most grocery stores. I prefer black or Tuscan kale because it is softer and easier to work with. Traditional curly kale is tougher and has a stronger flavour. 
• If you can’t eat an entire bunch–few people can–blanch it and freeze it in small bundles to drop into soup, pasta sauces or smoothies. 

Image of kale: 341866707 © Aria Suprayogi | Dreamstime.com