Foods That Contain Zeaxanthin

Usually found in natural foods with lutein, zeaxanthin teams with lutein in the eye to maximize fine vision. Food sources of zeaxanthin exist, but, with few exceptions, the substance occurs in only tiny amounts of each serving. A growing number of dietary supplements include zeaxanthin.

Role of Zeaxanthin

• Consuming enough zeaxanthin is essential for protecting your eyesight as you age. Zeaxanthin, along with lutein, gives color to the macula, which is the most sensitive part of the structure at the back of the eye. Low levels of zeaxanthin and lutein were related to a major cause of age-related vision loss called macular degeneration. But high daily intakes of these two micronutrients---30 mg of lutein and 30 mg of zeaxanthin---restored lost color to the macula.

Leafy Greens

• Collard greens are a good source of natural zeaxanthin, providing 5.1 mg of the substance per cup. The next best leafy green source, at 1.2 mg per serving, is kale. Other leafy greens that contain measurable amounts of zeaxanthin include turnip greens and spinach.

Vegetables

• A serving of yellow corn delivers 0.9 mg of zeaxanthin, while a serving of orange peppers deliver 1.7 mg.

Fruits

• Two fruit sources of zeaxanthin are persimmons, with 0.8 mg per serving, and tangerines, with just 0.2 mg per serving. Dried goji berries also contain high amounts of zeaxanthin, with claims ranging from 37.5 mg. a cup to as high as 225 mg. per cup.

Supplements

• The National Library of Medicine's Dietary Supplements Labels Database lists two products that feature "zeaxanthin" in their names. Alcon's Icaps Lutein & Zeaxanthin provides a total of 4 mg. of both of the micronutrients, while Natrol's My Favorite Multiple With Coral Calcium & Zeaxanthin provides 2 mg. of zeaxanthin. Another 54 products in the database list zeaxanthin as an ingredient, with doses delivered ranging from 0.25 mg. to 3.33 mg.