Most of us recall that as children we were told to eat carrots to improve our night vision. Now a scientific study has validated grandma’s advice.

It turns out that while carrots do help, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, kale and collard greens all do the same thing. A recent research group enrolled 120 healthy long distance truckers who are on the road an average of 10 hours a day. They took either 20 mg of lutein or placebo each day for one year. At the end of the year, their eyes were carefully examined. The macula, that part of the eye responsible for detailed vision, was found to have more pigment and greater sensitivity in those who took the lutein, as opposed to those on placebo. They had less glare at night, and were able to see better in dim light.

Grandma was right about carrots. Dr. Mixon says add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, kale and collard greens to that list.