Lovin' Lutein for Baby's Memory

You may have seen lutein in your vitamin aisle or heard the buzz about how it is good for your eye health but did you know your baby could benefit in more ways than one too? Lutein supports eye health in two ways: absorbs potentially damaging light and protects against oxidative damage. Now research shows that this important nutrient is found on the infant brain areas linked to memory and learning. The lutein in your diet can be passed to your baby through breast milk. 

You can find it in many healthy foods such as leafy greens, corn, green beans and egg yolk. It is important to get lutein through your dietary choices because it cannot be manufactured by your body. For infants, dietary sources of lutein include colostrum, breast milk and formula's enhances with lutein. 

Lutein packed Lunch recipe:

2 cups mixed dark leafy salad greens 
1/2 ear of fresh sweet corn, cut off the cob
2 hardboiled eggs
1/3 cup raw papaya chunks
1/2 cup chopped raw broccoli
1 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds

Dressing
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp agave
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
pepper to taste
whisk ingredient to make a single serving dressing. The fat in the olive oil helps maximize nutrient absorption of fat soluble vitamins, like vitamin K needed to proper blood clotting.