Risk of vision loss is linked to Carbohydrate Quality (Oct 2006)

The risk for Age-Related Macular Degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision loss in older adults. The Nurses Health Study showed that the total amount of carbohydrate consumed over a ten year period with looking at the glycemic index (a measure of the dietary quality of dietary carbohydrates). Foods with a high glycemic index such as white bread of French fries are broken down into sugar much faster than those that contain fiber (lentils, or yams) which are low glycemic.

Women who consumed those high glycemic foods had a greater risk of developing signs of age-related macular degeneration, compared to have a diet that is lower glycemic index. The bottom line is the type of carbohydrate is important instead of the amount.