Eye health is something which many people may take for granted but it is a topic that the general public is becoming more and more knowledgeable about. Increased exposure to screens, increased technology use putting strain on our eyes, and fears about blue light all play their part. This is where Lutein comes in.
Lutein is a type of carotenoid, an organic pigment found in many foodstuffs, most typically in orange-yellow fruits and green leafy vegetables. It is believed that lutein can help eye health as it accumulated in the retina where it filters the damaging blue light. To boot, Lutein has also been linked to improved cognitive function and brain health - so all in all what's not great about it.
Blue light, and its harmful effects, is something the public is being increasingly knowledgable about. Blue light is part of the spectrum of visible light, with the main source of blue light being sunlight. However, the number of indoor man-made sources of blue light is increasing, such as fluorescent and LED lighting, and display screens on mobile devices, computers and flat screen TVs.
Malaysian producer of health products and supplements has recently launched Lutein Essence, a healthy drink to increase your body's protection against the light. Several other supplements also . exist such as California's Youth Shine Night Fix product, and Dutch brand MacuView has created a buttermilk drink containing egg yolks enriched with lutein. Other natural sources of Lutein can easily be found in every day foods such as egg yolk.
Read our full healthwatching report on Lutein, including which of our food and drink megatrends the topic falls into, over on our trendhub here.