What’s up with carrots, Doc? Many of us grew up hearing that if we ate lots of carrots, our vision would improve. My own dad dangled the prospect of better vision through carrot consumption in front of me like the proverbial “carrot on a stick” but he used actual cooked carrots. And I hated cooked carrots, but I ate them hoping that one miraculous morning, I would wake up and find I no longer needed my glasses. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen.

Yes, I am still wearing my glasses, but I haven’t turned my back on the noble Daucus carota, sativus just yet. Carrots may not have the ability to repair poor vision for most of us, but they are an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and vitamin A. Lack of vitamin A can cause poor vision, which is restorable by adding it back into the diet. It is one of the few vegetables that is more nutritious cooked than raw (thanks, Dad) and is used medicinally in many cultures. For more carrot trivia, check out the World Carrot Museum.

Over time, I learned to appreciate the taste of cooked carrots, especially when served with roast beef. But my favorite way to have them is uncooked and shredded in carrot raisin salad.  Enjoy!

Here are some harvest favorites that are high in nutrients that support the health of your peepers—and taste great!

• Sweet potatoes: An excellent source of beta-carotene, which your body converts into the essential anti-oxidant vitamin A. For a refreshingly basic take on these oft over-sweetened veggies, try tossing chunks in olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasting in a hot oven.
• Pumpkin: With lots of vitamin A and a powerful wallop of beta-carotene and lutein, who needs to feel guilty about a second serving of pumpkin pie?
• Green beans, brussels sprouts, and broccoli: Each is a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect the retina from light damage. To let the flavor of these veggies shine, try them lightly steamed or roasted in the oven.

And don’t forget your leafy greens! The deeper the color, the healthier they are for you and your eyes.

VSP wishes you and yours a happy, healthy, Thanksgiving!

Sara B. is part of VSP's Finance team.

Forget about making that dash to the soda machine. Don’t even think of having a Diet Coke with that Chipotle burrito! Feeling thirsty? Why not reach for a tall, refreshing, nutritional glass of carrot juice? Yes, you heard me correctly; I said carrot juice! Not only is carrot juice good for your overall health, but it is excellent for your eyes, too!

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which our bodies are able to convert into vitamin A. Vitamin A is vital for eye health; in fact, vitamin A deficiency can cause poor vision, including night vision. However, research suggests that incorporating vitamin A into your diet aids in fighting vision problems like cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and night blindness.

Why is eyesight so important? Because, our eyes are our windows to the world and we are constantly using them. Just think of how much strain we put on our eyes daily—from sitting in front of the computer all day at work, watching TV when we get home, reading before bedtime, or driving at night. Since we are using our eyes every second of the day, we need to take extra care of them to ensure they stay healthy.

When I was younger, the one thing I dreaded most was seeing my mother take out her enormous juicer. Why? Because, that meant it was carrot juice time and when you’re a kid, carrot juice falls in the same horrible category as Brussels sprouts. Of course, I always fell victim to my mother’s concoctions. While other kids were able to enjoy what I liked to refer to back then as, “the cool kid drinks,” like Kool-Aid and Squeeze-Its, my mother wouldn’t budge and never bought them for me. She was adamant that I had to drink carrot juice and lots of it. My mother is a smart woman and as much as I tried to refuse, one day she eventually got me to surrender.

“Don’t you want to grow up to have strong, healthy eyes?” She would ask. She made it sound so exciting by always putting extra emphasis on, “strong, healthy,” like she was trying to sell me something fantastic.

My little five-year-old mind pondered her question carefully. You see, even at such a young age, I wore eyeglasses. Back in Kindergarten, wearing glasses meant constant ridicule from classmates who would call you, “four eyes.” I just wanted to do whatever it took to stop the insults from coming and be considered cool. So, without further ado, I looked at my mother and replied enthusiastically,

“Of course I do!”

“Then, drink up,” she’d say, handing me a tall glass, her face beaming victoriously with the look of a champion who had just conned her enemy into doing something naughty. “Drink up and one day you will have strong, healthy eyes and you won’t even need to wear glasses anymore.”

After that day, I guzzled down carrot juice like a lean, mean, carrot-loving machine! I would have my mother make it for me every day after I got home from school. After a while, I wasn’t envious of the kids that got to have all those sugary drinks their mothers bought for them. I’d look at them, laugh to myself, and think,

“One day I’m going to have strong, healthy eyes, just like my mom said!”

What can I say? I was a kid with a dream in mind and I wasn’t about to let anything get in the way. All throughout elementary school, middle school, and high school, I drank my carrot juice religiously, never once doubting my mother’s promise that she made to me so many years ago.

Then, one day, at the tender age of 17, I went to my childhood optometrist and received the surprise of my life: I had 20/20 vision! True to her word, my mother had fulfilled her promise to me. I wasn’t the only one that was surprised by this good news; my optometrist still couldn’t get over it, either.

“But, you’ve been wearing eyeglasses since Kindergarten!” He marveled. “What’s your secret?” He asked, scooting his chair forward, as if I had some delicious secret to share with him.

I looked at my doctor and smugly answered, “Carrot juice, Doc. That good ol’ carrot juice! You know, you really should start recommending it more to your patients. It does wonders!”