Eat Your Greens

Tonight I made a BIG pot of potato-turkey-kale soup, with emphasis on the kale. Green leafy veggies are VERY important to reduce the risk of the three major causes of blindness in the elderly:
1. Cataracts- I know we can have surgery for them, but look: A June 2008 article by KV Tarwadi, et al. in Clinical Nutrition stated that dietary deficiency of vitamin C, folic acid (as in foliage), and other antioxidants could explain 59.7% of the differences between the patient group and the control group (no cataracts). Intake of fried food and animal food was higher in those with cataracts, while fruit and veggie consumption was lower than in people without cataracts. Food for thought.
2. Glaucoma-In a study by A.L. Coleman, et al., in the American Journal of Opthalmology from June 2008, at least one serving of collards or kale a month could reduce the risk of glaucoma by 64%. More than 2 servings of carrots a week or some canned or dried peaches once a week also reduced risk considerably.
3. Macular degeneration- In people with the highest level of consumption of lutein and xeoxanthin (from leafy greens), risk of AMD was 35% of the risk in people who ate less greens. Zinc was also protective. This in a study by J.S. Tan, et al. in Opthalmology, February 2008.
So add some greens to soups and stews, or as an underlayer (steamed first) on pizza. You don't have to eat them bare unless you like them like that. As your mother told you to do, eat your greens!