South Africa’s Eye Care Awareness Month 2025 runs from 21 September to 18 October to highlight the importance of eye health, especially preventable blindness. Protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays, yes, get those sunglasses out, and blue light, and having regular eye exams are important to keep your peepers in the best shape possible. But the most impactful eye health strategy is to follow a balanced diet that is high in antioxidants, as well as omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, nuts, and seeds.
Antioxidants and vitamins like C and E (yip, you’ll find those in mushrooms too) fight free radical damage to your eyes and ultimately the causes of age-related eye deterioration. Now, you may ask, what is a free radical and why should you care? It’s all about oxidative stress and how it can damage organs in your body.
Oxygen-derived free radicals are normally generated in many pathways. These radicals can interact with various cellular components and induce cell injury. When free radicals exceed the antioxidant capacity, cell injury causes diverse pathologic changes in the organs. An imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in favour of oxidants is termed oxidative stress and can lead to cell or tissue damage and ageing.
Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many serious systemic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and neurological disorders. Also, laboratory and epidemiological studies have implicated oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of the majority of common serious eye diseases such as cataract, primary open-angle glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.
Fresh mushrooms are literally packed to the gills with antioxidants
“Mushrooms are nutrient-dense and come with unique nutrient properties,” explains Cedars-Sinai cancer dietitian Meghan Laszlo. “Mushrooms are a rich source of two powerful antioxidants, glutathione and ergothioneine, which help shield cells from damage and support immune function.” As ergothioneine may help mitigate some of the chronic diseases associated with ageing, many researchers have come to call it the “longevity nutrient”.
Ergothioneine is a specific antioxidant found in Agaricus bisporus [supermarket button, Portabellini and Portabello mushrooms], which is necessary for healthy eyes, kidneys, bone marrow, liver, and skin, states researcher Sardar Singh Kakraliya from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Jammu.
The beta-glucans in mushrooms also indirectly play a part in optimum eye health. A diverse collection of polysaccharides (beta-glucans) and minerals isolated from mushrooms is responsible for regulating and strengthening the human immune system.
Having a strong immune system means it can continually fight against general inflammation and infections that can lead to vision loss. So now we know why the antioxidants in mushrooms are such a boon to eye health, here’s how to make the most of them. Simply add more fresh mushrooms to as many meals as possible every day. They are inexpensive, nutrient-rich, and taste amazing.
Visit https://rebrand.ly/b3k3tok for a diverse and delicious menu of mushroom-forward meals, like Mushroom, Mango & Halloumi Salad https://rebrand.ly/e8ad3b – particularly good now that it’s spring!
