How many times, when you were little, did your grandmother tell you that carrots are good for the eyes ? Many are the myths that have been built around food, most of them linked to the hypothetical beneficial properties for our health . But many are also the false benefits that are attributed to numerous foods, starting with carrots .
A bit of history to break false myths
The American Chemical Society, thanks to the collaboration of chemist Chad Jones , has shed light on the truth behind the carrot myth .
The chemist explains the history of this ancient belief , which dates back to World War II and is related to espionage . At that time, the British armed forces had at their disposal a new tool to detect their enemies at night: the radar . To hide it and prevent enemies from copying their technology, when asked what was the secret of their pilots, they lied about it saying that they ate a lot of carrots and that they had come to the conclusion that this food brought exceptional benefits to the eye .
Hence the recommendation that generations of children have heard from mothers and grandmothers: "to have a good view you have to eat all the carrots that are on the plate . "
No, carrots do not help to see better
That it has been possible to break the false myth of carrots , does not mean that these are not good for the eyes or that the benefits of these vegetables for eye health are pure fantasy They are actually an optimal source of beta-carotene and vitamin A , which is essential for general health. In fact, not everyone knows that beta-carotene, a molecule that is converted by the body into vitamin A, in turn is transformed into retinol and this last one is also essential for sight.
But while it is important to eat sources of vitamin A such as carrots, lettuce, milk, cheese, melon, mango and peas, among other foods, eating more does not really help to see better, but simply assures us Varied and balanced diet , rich in vitamins and minerals, which helps protect our health.
