As a health and food blogger one question I’m always asked is how are we able to justify sometimes calorific or fatty food as being ‘healthy,’ in regards to foods like avocado, olive oil and nuts. Now obviously if you are tracking macros or calorie counting you could be mistaken for thinking that the above foods are bad and that you could get the same calories/fat from a more satisfying chocolate bar. However, for me personally I believe we should be looking at the ingredients list and the overall nutrition value of food and taking a balanced approach to the foods which we are eating. For example olive oil can be calorific, however when used in salads it actually helps you to absorb the nutrients. It is also believed that a diet rich in olive oil may actually be able to slow down the aging of the heart. And not forgetting that olive oil is a staple in Mediterranean counties and they are considered as some of the healthiest countries in the world. I like to mix it up by using Frylight olive or coconut oil spray for frying or roasting vegetables and stick to olive oil or extra virgin olive oil for making salad dressings.

When it comes to nuts I believe this should be a staple in our diets. There are so many nutrients in nuts, they are more affordable than buying supplements and they have so many health benefits. For example:

• Brazil Nuts are very high in Selenium and contain unsaturated fat and Omega-6 Fatty Acids. They also provide all of the essential amino acids needed for human growth an development. If me like you prefer to get your minerals from your food where possible then brazil nuts are a good choice as they also contain copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and potassium (plus even more minerals). A serving a day with ensure that you are providing your body with essential minerals and nutrients. More than one serving will hike the calories and fat so be mindful!.
• Almonds are also a fantastic choice and when grounded are a good alternative to flour in recipes. Almonds are rich in calcium so are benefical for anyone following  dairy-free diet. They are also rich in Vitamin E which is fantastic for skin. Vitamin E supplements and creams can be expensive, so swapping them for almonds is a more affordable alternative.

The article 15 Foods That Can Improve Your Eye Health by Focus Clinics is a fantastic guide to how nutrient dense foods can improve your eye health and contains information on the nutrients that the foods have. The foods listed are all easy to find in supermarkets and most likely foods that you already have at home. Proving that improving your heath doesn’t have to be expensive. Some of my favourite foods from the list are sweet potatoes which provide beta carotene and are easy to incorporate into healthy meals such as soup or baked and topped with almond butter. And eggs which contain lutein and Vitamin A. It’s also my favourite source of protein.

As well the food tips for eye health, Focus Clinics can also offer expert advice on vision correction.

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