Wellness Foods - August 2008 - (Page 12)

Eye Health Feast For the eyes t is believed the natural aging process with its attendant oxidative stresses plays the major role in the progressive degeneration of vision. And with the increase in rates of obesity and type-2 diabetes comes another eye health issue: diabetic retinopathy. We now hear regular reference to the term age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Cataracts are an issue of concern, especially for older people. While age plays an important role in eye health, recent medical research points to weight maintenance, micronutrient deficiency, macronutrient excess and cardiovascular disease as burgeoning causes of poor eye health. However, it has only been in recent years the roles of diet and overall health have been investigated. While maintaining the health of the cornea, lens, retina and optic nerve are critical, one area of the eye appears to be closely connected to the quality of eyesight as we age. This area, just behind the retina and associated with the connection between the optic nerve and the eye, is the macula. Critical to the macula are carotenoid compounds, including vitamin A and beta-carotene, as well as lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin. These compounds are oil soluble but, through breakthroughs in microencapsulation, are now able to be effectively included in food and drink formulations, although they do impart color. They are found naturally in dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, as well as in deep orange and red foods, such as paprika or berries. “Americans continue to be deficient in fruits and vegetables, which are the major source of these nutrients critical to the healthy functioning of the eye,” says David Turok, an ophthalmic surgeon in the Chicago I area. “Vitamin A deficiency remains one of the top causes of blindness in the world. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) – a major prospective study involving multiple universities – showed the vital role of micronutrients in retarding the progression of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older Americans,” emphasizes Turok. Certain proteins in the macula appear to degrade over time, apparently partly in response the effects of strong light and other pro-oxidative stresses. The degraded proteins form deposits that interfere with vision. The two main carotenoids found in the eye, lutein and zeaxanthin, accumulate in the macula. Current theory is that the presence of these specific carotenoid antioxidants in the macula may inhibit the oxidative processes that lead to macular protein degradation. Carotenoids — beyond beta-carotene Kalsec Inc. (www.kalsec.com), Kalamazoo, Mich., makes ZeaGold, a natural, highly bioavailable esterification of zeaxanthin from paprika. It’s generally recognized as safe and exempt from color certification in the U.S. and may be used as a nutrient while also imparting color. It’s available in a 3 percent or 10 percent concentration. The company also will soon market a 5 percent beadlet. Parsippany, N.J.-based DSM Nutritional Products’ Optisharp (www.optisharp.com) brand of zeaxanthin is being used to great success in powdered drink mixes in Asia and even in soup mixes in South America. The company also makes a number of vitamin A ingredients such as beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein for eye health formulations. 12 | August 2008 www.wellnessfoodsonline.com Food Processing’s Wellness Foods™ http://www.kalsec.com http://www.optisharp.com http://www.wellnessfoodsonline.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Wellness Foods - August 2008

Wellness Foods - August 2008 Balance for Boomers Vitamins for Eye Health Nutraceutical Spirits New Views on Fiber

Wellness Foods - August 2008

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