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The pigments in yellow vegetables may reduce the risk of age-related vision loss.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin have found that lutein and zeaxanthin, the pigments that make vegetables like squash and corn yellow, may protect against age-related macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin, like beta-carotene, are members of the carotenoid family and are the only types of this chemical found in the macula, the part of the eye that helps you see straight ahead. In the study, Dr. Suzen Moeller and colleagues looked at the diets of almost 2,000 women between the ages of 50 to 79. Those women who reported the highest intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin had a lower risk of developing age related macular degeneration than those women with a lower intake of these pigments. The study was published in the Archives of Ophthalmology. Foods that contain high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin include corn, spinach kale, broccoli and brussel sprouts.

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