Reality Or Myth – Are Carrots Really Good For Your Eyes?

To make kids less suspicious of vegetables, parents often feed them the old story that “carrots will keep them from needing glasses.” But are carrots really good for your eyes? Well, the answer is yes and no. Carrots won’t improve your eyesight if you already have poor vision. That’s a fact! However, the vitamins and nutrients found in carrots can help support overall eye health. Carrots contain beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, an important nutrient for healthy eyes.

The truth is for centuries carrots have been connected with health benefits and was believed to cure anything from STD’s to snake bites. But it was during World War II that they became famed for aiding particularly night vision. During the war, the British Royal Air Force published a story which stated that their fighter pilots could thank a steady diet of carrots for their night flying exploits. Though eating carrots for the eyes made for a great story, it was actually just a propaganda put out to conceal the fact that the British Air Force was using radar to locate enemy bombers during the night. Although the propanga lent carrots a bit more repute than deserved, it’s no doubt that the vitamins it contains can promote overall eye health.