Bad Fats Increase Risk of Blindness

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http://www.mercola.com/2001/oct/3/trans_fats_blindness.htmBad Fats Increase Risk of Blindness Decreasing one's intake of specific types of fat, rather than fats in general, may help to lower a person's risk of the eye disease known as age-related macular degeneration.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a currently untreatable (by traditional methods) disease that causes fuzziness, shadows or other distortions in the center of vision. It is also the most common cause of blindness.Some fats, such as those found in processed foods, may increase an individual's risk of the eye condition, while other fats, such as the omega-3 fatty acids found in tuna, salmon and other coldwater fish, may decrease one's risk.People who reported diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in linoleic acid, found in corn and safflower oil, had a decreased risk of the disease.Foods with high overall levels of all of these potentially harmful fats -- vegetable fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and linoleic acid -- tend to be processed, store-bought snack foods.Archives of Ophthalmology August 2001;119:1191-1199 Dr. Mercola's Comment: It is possible to use natural food products, like blueberries that are exceptionally high in phytochemical antioxidants to actually prevent and even treat this absolutely preventable cause of blindness.Following a good eating plan is one of the best ways to help prevent this cause of blindness.Avoiding trans fat in baked goods, is quite wise for many other reasons aside from preventing blindness. The trans fat in bakery goods are FAR worse than saturated fats.One needs to avoid this trans fat at all costs. Aside from margarine, there are many hidden sources of trans fat such as many salad dressings, most all crackers, most mayonnaise (grape seed oil type would be the exception) and most all fried foods.As I said, butter is a better option. However, when you are on the optimal food choice program, there is almost zero or very limited bread or potatoes so the desire for butter or margarine is greatly reduced.Related Articles:Fish or EPA/DHA Supplements May Help Protect VisionAmericans Know Little About Leading Cause of BlindnessTrans Fat Much Worse for You Than Saturated Fat Return to Table of Contents #260Return to Table of Contents #260Print this PageE-mail to a Friend Privacy/Security Current Newsletter Contact Info This site is powered by the Northwoods Titan Content Management System ©Copyright 2005 Dr. Joseph Mercola. . This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.