lutein

Topic summary contributed by volunteer(s): Wissam

Lutein is a carotenoid phytonutrient that may promote attractive skin, healthy vision, and may decrease chromosome damage when exposed to radiation (such as when flying). Despite what the supplement and egg industries might say, the best dietary source of lutein is whole fruits and vegetables, especially greens such as spinach and kale.

For substantiation of any statements of fact from the peer-reviewed medical literature, please see the associated videos below.

18 videos

All Videos for Lutein

The Supplement Shown to Slow Age-Related Hearing Loss

Some studies found that higher levels of folate in the blood seem to correlate with better hearing, so researchers decided to put it to the test.

The Purported Benefits of Vitamin K2: Should You Take Supplements?

Our body can make vitamin K2 from the K1 in green leafy vegetables.

Are Ancient Grains Healthier?

Ancient wheats like kamut are put to the test for inflammation, blood sugar, and cholesterol control.

How to Cook Greens

Dark green leafy vegetables are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. What’s the best way to prepare them?

Best Way to Cook Vegetables

Boiling, steaming, microwaving, air frying, and sous vide cooking are put to the test for nutrient retention.

Do Lutein Supplements Help with Brain Function?

Avocados, greens, and lutein and zeaxanthin supplements are put to the test for improving cognitive function.

Brain-Healthy Foods to Fight Aging

What is the best source of lutein, the primary carotenoid antioxidant in the brain?

Are Green Smoothies Good for You?

Smoothies (and blended soups and sauces) offer a convenient way to boost both the quantity and quality of fruit and vegetable intake by reducing food particle size to help maximize nutrient absorption.

Does Cholesterol Size Matter?

How do American Egg Board arguments hold up to scientific scrutiny, such as the concept that large fluffy LDL cholesterol is protective compared to small, dense LDL?

selection of produce on white background

Treating Asthma with Fruits and Vegetables

Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption to seven servings a day appears to cut asthma exacerbation rates in half, whereas restricting consumption to Standard American Diet levels leads to a significant worsening of lung function and asthma control.

Dietary Prevention of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Yellow plant pigments, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, build up in the back of our eyes to protect our retinas against age-related macular degeneration. Levels of these eyesight–saving nutrients in organic free-range eggs, vegetables, and goji berries are compared.

Eggs and Choline: Something Fishy

Too much choline—a compound concentrated in eggs and other animal products—can make bodily secretions smell like rotting fish, and may increase the risk of heart disease, due to conversion in the gut to trimethylamine.

Why Might Vegetarians Have Less HPV?

Most young women get infected with human papilloma virus, the cause of cervical cancer, but most are able to clear the infection before the virus causes cancer. What dietary changes can improve viral clearance?

Mediating Radiation Exposure from Airline Travel

Based on studies of atomic bomb survivors, Chernobyl victims, and airline pilots exposed to more cosmic rays at high altitudes, it appears that fruits and vegetables may decrease radiation-induced chromosome damage.

Prevent Glaucoma and See 27 Miles Farther

The risk of glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness, appears to be dramatically reduced by kale or collard greens consumption, thanks to the phytonutrient pigments lutein and zeaxanthin.

Produce, Not Pills, to Increase Physical Attractiveness

Kale works better at boosting antioxidant levels in the skin than synthetic beta carotene, lutein, and mixed carotenoid supplements.

Golden Glow

How to be more attractive by eating carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables—rather than tanning—for healthy-looking skin.

Egg Industry Blind Spot

To help deflect criticism from the cholesterol content of their product, the egg industry touts the benefits of two phytonutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin, that have indeed been shown to be beneficial in protecting one’s eyesight against vision-threatening conditions, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. But how do eggs stack up against plant-based sources?