We are well into the season of pumpkin spice EVERYTHING! Not only did Starbuck’s traditional pumpkin spice latte turn 15 this year, but I think pumpkin spice craze has actually hit a new peak. So far in my fall shopping adventures, I have came across pumpkin spice yogurt (which is delicious), pumpkin spice Bailey’s (which I have yet to try) and pumpkin vanilla spice body lotion from the body shop (smells as good as it sounds!). But why the craze for pumpkin? Did you know that pumpkin is one of those foods you don’t have to feel guilty about eating (that is of course, if it’s real pumpkin). Did you know that there is even eye health perks from pumpkin? You can get more tips from the outback vision protocol.
The Eye Health Perks From Pumpkin – Vitamin A
The pumpkin is more then a Halloween decoration. As we’ve been saying the eye health perks from pumpkin are plentiful! Pumpkins contain nutrients that are key ingredients for eye health. First, they are a great source of vitamin A. Vitamin A helps aid in healthy eyes by protecting the surface of the eye, which in return helps with healthy site. Vitamin A also helps combat cataracts and age related macular degeneration (ARMD). These are common eye diseases which can cause vision loss and damage.
So, the next time you buy a pumpkin, think of it as more then your next masterpiece jack-o-lantern. Maybe try to use the pumpkin pulp you scrape out of your Halloween jack-o-lantern in a new recipe!
Last year we posted a great pumpkin cheese cake recipe, we’ve also found a great compilation of 55 different recipes that use real pumpkin here!
Happy pumpkin spice season and happy Halloween and pumpkin carving!
Article written by: Trina Vanaalst – Registered Contact Lens Practitioner and Optician