A recent poster at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) found that pterostilbene in blueberries may protect against dry eyes. We know that vibrantly colored fruits and veggies are very high in antioxidants which reduce the levels of oxidative damage which decrease inflammation in the body.
Increased inflammation in the body and eyes has been shown to increase risks of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and in the eyes, dry eyes.
So eating more blueberries is a good thing. So is eating more radishes, kale, broccoli, and the like. One should not overdo eating fruits, though, as all fruits have fructose which is converted to glucose which is sugar. I have a friend who says she developed Diabetes type II from eating too much fruit. I don’t know the full medical story except she says she has no family history and she is not overweight nor on steroids. Blueberries have a lower glycemic index compared to other fruits which means you can eat a bit more blueberries than say a banana.
Sandra Lora Cremers, MD, FACS
Posted: 5/4/2016