According to research, eating just one egg per day will promote eye health as well as keeping cholesterol levels down.
Two powerful anti-oxidants are found within eggs, which protect the retina and also help to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Lutein and zeaxanthin protect a spot near the centre of the retina of the eye, the macula, from free radical damage.
They are the only carotenoids found in the eye and not produced naturally in the body.
This means anyone who is looking to improve their eye health, must ingest them from foods such as fruit, green veg and now egg yolks.
Eating one egg per day increases levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in the body but a common misconception is that eating eggs every day will increase cholesterol levels. However, studies have confirmed this is not the case, Dr J McNamara, executive director of the Egg Nutrition Centre, said:
“Eggs provide important health benefits for baby boomers and ageing adults.
“People can enjoy an egg or two a day without negatively impacting blood cholesterol levels, something that has been misunderstood by both health professionals and the public.”
Eggs also provide a good source of vitamin A. According to an article published in the Encyclopedia of Life Sciences, by Alfred Sommer, vitamin A deficiency results in more than 500,000 new cases of blindness each year.
This demonstrates how crucial it is to keep your eyes healthy- Get dunking those soldiers!