Raw Foods
Foods that are naturally rich in lutein include dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, as well as other highly colored foods such as corn and egg yolks. The average American consumes only between 1 and 2 milligrams of lutein per day – considerably less than the 4-8 milligrams consumed by following the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.
The chart below shows levels of lutein and its accompanying molecule zeaxanthin naturally occurring in various fruits and vegetables.†
Food | Mg / serving |
Kale (raw) | 26.5 / 1 cup |
Kale (cooked) | 23.7 / 1 cup |
Spinach (cooked) | 20.4 / 1 cup |
Collards (cooked) | 14.6 / 1 cup |
Turnip greens (cooked) | 12.2 / 1 cup |
Green peas (cooked) | 4.1 / 1 cup |
Spinach (raw) | 3.7 / 1 cup |
Corn (cooked) | 1.5 / 1 cup |
Broccoli (raw) | 1.3 / 1 cup |
Romaine lettuce (raw) | 1.1 / 1 cup |
Green beans (cooked) | 0.9 / 1 cup |
Broccoli (cooked) | 0.8 / 1/2 cup |
Papaya (raw) | 0.3 / 1 large |
Egg | 0.2 / 1 large |
Orange (raw) | 0.2 / 1 large |
† U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory. 2005. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20 (2007), Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=12354500