Do carrots really help you see in the dark? Did your
mother ever threaten that you will need glasses if you didn’t eat your carrots?
Well, although you may have eaten your carrots, her motivational tactics were
questionable.
If you were following a generally balanced diet, then those extra
carrots had no affect on your vision. The connection does make sense, though.
Carrots contain beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A, and
vitamin A is important for healthy eyesight. However, only a small amount is
needed to maintain good vision. Foods that are high in beta-carotene and
vitamin A will only impact your vision if your body is deficient in vitamin A.
Standard, well-balanced diets in the developed world
generally contain a sufficient amount of vitamin A, and eating more carrots
will not make a big enough difference to affect eyesight.
Humans are unable to synthesise vitamin A afresh and,
therefore, must take it in through their diet to maintain normal visual
function. Vitamin A can be found in a range of meats and vegetables – the most
notable being the carrot, though the best source is probably liver.
During World War II, the British Royal Air Force
invented the myth tying carrots to clear, sharp vision as a way to explain the
sudden increase in Nazi bombers being shot down. Flight Lieutenant John
Cunningham, nicknamed ”Cats Eyes” for his incredible ability to shoot
down enemy planes, had a natural love for carrots. A disinformation campaign
spread the rumor that British fighter pilots were eating carrots to improve
their vision, when in reality the British had a new radar system they wanted to
keep secret from Germany. The story caught on though, and it remains popular to
this day. But although there is a grain of truth to the claim, most people will
not experience positive changes in their vision from eating carrots unless they
have a vitamin A deficiency.
By Sonia Marañón
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