Where does lutein come from?

If you’re pondering the origins of lutein, congratulations! You have stumbled onto a topic that most people would consider boring. But as it turns out, this funky little nutrient is pretty important for your eye health. And if we can make learning about it entertaining in the process, all the better.

So buckle up and get ready to learn everything you never knew you wanted to know about where lutein comes from!

What is Lutein?

Before we dive into its origin story, let’s do a quick refresher on what lutein even is. Basically, it’s a type of carotenoid pigment produced by plants. That means it gives certain fruits and vegetables their bright colors – think orange carrots or yellow squash.

But more importantly for us humans, when we consume foods containing lutein (or take supplements), our bodies use it to protect our eyes from harmful blue light and oxidative stress. In other words: good stuff.

Plants are Packed with Lutein

Fun fact: Did you know that leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale are some of the biggest dietary sources of lutein?

It’s true! These big-brained plants produce tons of lutein themselves as part of their normal growth processes – essentially acting like natural sunscreen to keep photosynthesis running smoothly without getting damaged by too much sunlight.

Other plant foods rich in this nutrient include:

  • Corn
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Peas
  • Green beans

Of course there are plenty more sources than just these few veggies – but I won’t bore you with an exhaustive list right now!

Animals Don’t Make Their Own Lutein 🙁

So far so good, right? We’ve got a basic idea now of where we can find some healthy doses of juicy antioxidant goodness. Yum.

But here’s a fun twist: unlike plants, animals (including us humans) can’t actually produce lutein on their own. So how do we get it?

Fret not, my dear reader, for nature has provided us with some crafty solutions.

Animals Get Lutein from Their Diets

When animals consume plant-based foods containing lutein, the compound enters their bodies and gets stored in various tissues – including the eyes! This is why you might hear people rave about feeding their pets high-quality diets full of fruits and veggies to keep them extra healthy.

Interestingly enough though, some animal-derived products like egg yolks are also decent sources of lutein. This is because chickens who eat lots of marigold flowers (which contain tons of lutein) deposit this pigment into their eggs as they lay them. Yes really!

Just another reminder that Mother Nature is pretty darn clever.

What About Supplements?

You may have seen supplements marketed specifically for eye health featuring…you guessed it…lutein!

These types of pills typically use extracted forms of the nutrient derived from marigold flowers or other plant-based sources.

While studies have been mixed overall in terms of whether these supplements make a significant difference for healthy individuals’ long-term eye health, they may be beneficial for certain populations such as those already experiencing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement regimen to determine what’s best for you and your specific needs.

Time to Wrap It Up

And there you have it folks – everything I promised to teach you about where lutein comes from! While admittedly not the flashiest topic out there (‘origins-of-matter’ enthusiasts look away), hopefully now you’ve got just slightly more appreciation for this mighty little antioxidant and its origins from good old-fashioned plant power.

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