In addition to treatment with eye drops or functional foods, proper nutritional supplementation through daily meals is a simple but sustainable measure.
In particular, squash soup is a rustic dish but contains many ingredients that support eyesight.
Squash - a fruit in the squash family, rich in water and fiber. However, what makes squash a food to support eyesight is its high content of vitamin A, vitamin C and flavonoids.
According to the USDA National Nutrition Database (USA, updated in 2023), 100g of squash provides about: 38μg beta-carotene (for vitamin A); 14mg vitamin C; Minerals that support visual metabolism such as zinc, magnesium, potassium.
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient to maintain cornea and retina health.
Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of chickenpox and cornea dryness, according to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Squash soup, when cooked with carrots or lean meat, helps increase the bioavailability of beta-carotene thanks to its combination with fat.
In addition to its nutritional effects, squash is also highly appreciated by traditional medicine and modern medicine for its coolness, diuretic and natural anti-inflammatory properties.
Excerpts from squash skin and meat can inhibit acute inflammatory reactions in bieuesta cells - factors related to conjunctivitis or mild golden retinopathy, often causing eye strain and prolonged redness.
In particular, squash soup when cooked with perilla leaves or ginger also enhances antioxidant effects, helping to protect eye cells from harmful agents from blue light and air pollution.
One of the leading causes of current vision loss is diabetic retinopathy - a consequence of prolonged increase in blood sugar.
Squash is a food with a very low glycemic index (GI) and helps regulate blood glucose.
According to research by the American Diabetes Association (ADA, 2022), squash extracts have the effect of reducing blood glucose after eating in people with type 2 diabetes.
Regularly using squash soup in your diet helps stabilize blood sugar, thereby reducing the risk of damage to eye microorganisms - the cause of silent blindness.
To maximize the effects of supporting eyesight, squash should be combined with ingredients rich in vitamin A or healthy fats such as:
Carrots: increase beta-carotene content
Chicken, lean meat: supplement protein and zinc
A little olive oil or fish fat: helps absorb oil-soluble vitamins better
Avoid cooking for too long or boiling at high temperatures that cause vitamin loss. Eat it hot, do not leave it overnight because vitamin C is easily oxidized.
