The New Smart Diet for Healthy Eyes

A low-glycemic-index diet has long been touted as a way to avoid blood sugar problems. And now it seems this approach to eating may help keep your eyes in good standing, too.

In a study, people who took a low-glycemic-index approach to their meals had a lower risk of both early and advanced age-related macular degeneration -- a common sight stealer among older adults.

How Low Can You Go?
To follow a low-glycemic-index diet, you need your meals to be centered around foods that have a modest effect on your blood sugar. High-fiber foods are one example. They are digested slowly and therefore have a smaller impact on blood sugar than highly refined carbs. Get the complete lowdown on low-glycemic-index eating here.

The Usual Vision Suspects
In addition to eating a low-glycemic-index diet, you can further protect your vision by including certain sight-saving nutrients in your meals. People who ate a low-glycemic-index diet and also got plenty of zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamins E and C, and omega-3 fatty acids had the lowest risk of age-related macular degeneration. Give your diet a nutrition makeover with this simple 4-week plan from RealAge, Delish, and YOU: On a Diet.

Did you know? High-glycemic-index sugars are not only tough on your blood sugar but may be bad for your eyes, too. Here's the scoop on sugar and eye health.