Catherine Saxelby's Foodwatch | Q. I’ve seen eggs for sale with lutein added. Do I need lutein and are eggs the best way to get it?

 

A.  Lutein is an antioxidant with a golden-yellow colour and is the natural colour in marigolds and egg yolks. Lutein, like beta-carotene, belongs to a large group of antioxidants known as carotenoids.

It occurs naturally in spinach and silverbeet in high quantities. It is now being incorporated into eggs by feeding the chickens a diet high in lutein.

In the body, it is concentrated in the macula, the centre of the retina, where visual acuity is sharpest and appears to help protect your eyesight as you age (the studies show an association between high intake of lutein with less chance of developing macula degeneration but it’s not been definitely proven – see the website of the National Eye Institute for more detail.

Macula degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss for people over 60 in the Western world so anything that can minimise it is important.

While the research continues, it makes good sense if people over 60 consume a higher-than-normal intake of lutein from food. So eating spinach/silverbeet twice a week and swapping to the lutein-enriched eggs is one way to make sure you get enough.

And if research ultimately pronounces lutein not the thing for your eyes at least you know these foods are definitely good for your overall nutrition.

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