We’ve all heard the old wives’ tale that carrots are good for your eyes, in fact according to a study conducted in 2020, 31% of Australians believe it. Whilst beta-carotene is beneficial for your eyes in small quantities, too many carrots can in fact damage your eyes!
So what is good for your eye health you ask? Just as a balanced diet and good nutrition are essential for our overall health and wellbeing, both are also vital for eye health. This burrito bowl recipe does not contain carrots, but it does contain a variety of other delicious veggies and grains that help prevent age-related cataracts. Alarmingly 66% of Aussies aren’t eating the recommended 5 servings of veggies a day. Help hit your quota by adding this delicious dinner to your repertoire, your eyes and tummy will thank you!
Cataracts are one of the leading causes of vision impairment in Australia; they occur when the clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy, which is comparable to looking through a murky window. More than 700,000 Australians currently have cataracts, a number that is expected to grow substantially as the population ages. Most commonly cataracts start to present in people over the age of 50, however they can occur earlier. As un-operated cataracts contribute to 35% of all blindness it’s extremely important to help prevent cataracts before it occurs. The good news is the vitamins, antioxidants, and micronutrients listed below improve eye health by lowering the risk of age-related cataracts.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 small red onion
- 1 Mexican spice packet
- 200g mushrooms
- 2x tomatoes
- 400g can black beans
Toppings
- 1 corn cob
- 1 cucumber
- 125g cherry tomatoes
- Handful baby spinach (not pictured)
- 1.5 avocados
- 1 cup grated cheese
- Sour cream
- Lime
Method
- Cook rice according to packet instructions
- In a large pan heat oil on medium heat, add chopped onion and season with the spice mix, stir for 1-2 mins
- Add roughly chopped mushrooms and sauté until soft, approximately 2 mins.
- Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan, stir every so often for 5 mins
- Drain the tins of black beans and add to the mix, cook for a further few minutes and season to taste
- In a separate pan chargrill the corn using olive oil
- Slice the kernels into a bowl and season with salt and pepper
- Chop the cherry tomatoes and place in a bowl, chop and add the cucumber then squeeze over lime, sprinkle with salt and toss to combine
- To make the guacamole scoop the avocado into a bowl, add lime juice, and salt to taste, mash with a fork
- To serve place baby spinach at the bottom of each bowl, then add the brown rice, and then the vego mince
- Sprinkle your bowl with cheese and then the chopped veggies and corn
- Plonk on the guacamole and sour cream
- Enjoy your eye and eco-friendly meal!
If you want to check our more eye-friendly recipes check out our blog. Or if you have concerns about cataracts or your vision in general, book an appointment with one of our optometrists today!
