Any top athlete can attest to the importance of nutrition in successful conditioning and performance, but what they may not consider is how a colorful, whole foods diet could improve their visual range.
That's what was found in a new study by researchers from the University of Georgia, which examined how a group of plant compounds, known as macular pigments, work to improve eye health and functional vision.
When consuming foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, most commonly food in green leafy vegetables, the compounds collect as yellow pigments in one's retina and act as a filter against blue light exposure, reducing the impact of the bluish haze of the sky on an athlete's visual acuity.
Individuals absorb and utilize these compounds in different ways, lead author of the study Jack Harth notes, but the overall health benefits of consuming more macular pigments are reason enough to add more color to your diet.
