Isn’t it unbelievable that more than 450 million people in the world suffer from disabling hearing loss? It is well known that the most common causes of hearing loss are old age and noise pollution. A cause mostly overlooked is the lack of a balanced diet or deficiency of certain minerals or vitamins in the body. Our diet plays a very important role in our hearing; all it needs is choosing the right food to delay the onset of hearing loss.
How Does Food Help In Hearing?
With all the awareness and precautions, the hearing loss count will go up to 900 million by the year 2050; this frightening figure is as per the WHO Factsheet dated March 2020. In most cases, treatment is taken after the hearing loss is diagnosed. Why should we not take precautions to delay deafness or improve, if deafness has already set in? One of the simple methods is to consume the right food or a diet that contains the essential minerals and vitamins that aid our hearing. Below are some of the vital minerals and vitamins which help to improve our hearing ability. Get an in-depth detail aboutthe right quantity to consume and the names of the superfoods which help hearing.We call them superfoods not because they are exotic or hard to get, but because of their ability to improve our hearing.
How Do We Hear?
To understand how these minerals and vitamins help, we should know a little about our body’s hearing system. Our inner ear contains fluids that translates the external sounds and send them to the brain through the complex mechanical structure and the sensitive nerves.
Needless to say, the system is more complex than we can think of. It is very important to have good body fluids, good blood circulation, a good immune system to ward of infections. Also, a shield of protection for the inner ear’s delicate hair cells can get damaged very easily, even from something as common as loud noise.
Some of the minerals and vitamins that are essential to our hearing system are discussed below. We have listed the food that contains these vitamins and minerals so that we are aware of items to include in our diet to improve our hearing abilities. For a detailed quantity and percentage, kindly refer to the link above.
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POTASSIUM
Potassium is responsible for the regulation of the inner ear fluid. The inner ear fluid carries sound signals to the brain that recognizes and responds accordingly. A drop in the level of this inner fluid causes hearing loss, especially when a person ages.
Foods rich in potassium are yogurt, banana, potatoes, spinach, and milk.
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FOLIC ACID
Folic acid is a type of Vitamin B9. It helps in the growth of new cells and also for the circulation of blood.
Foods rich in folic acid are vegetables like spinach and beetroot. Lentils and legumes like peas, beans.Nuts and seeds like peanuts, walnuts, apricots. Eggs and meats like beef.
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ZINC
Zinc is responsible for increasing the body’s immunity. A good immune system is required to ward off ear infections. It also helps in the growth of new cells needed for keeping the system healthy and functioning optimally.
Foods rich in zinc are beans, peanuts, almonds, raisins, peas, oats, cashews, beef, and pork
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MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals required for the body, especially to protect the ears from loud noise. It has the ability to fight off free radicals that are generated when the ear is exposed to loud sounds. Free radicals act as a barrier in protecting the sensitive and delicate hair cells of the inner ear.
Food rich in magnesium are tomatoes, bananas, potatoes, spinach, and broccoli.
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VITAMIN C
Vitamin C helps in preventing damage to the hair cells of the Cochlea, which is present in the inner ear. It also helps to improve the immune system so that the ear is protected from an ear infection.
Food rich in Vitamin C are Oranges, sweet potato, yellow pepper, papaya, tomatoes, and potatoes.
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FISH OIL’s
Selected fishes contain Omega-3 fatty acids,which prevents age-related hearing loss (Sensorineural Hearing Loss) and provides a variety of health benefits. Many people, who are wary of consuming fish given their choice of being a vegetarian, can also benefit by consuming fish oils available in the form of capsules.
Fish rich in omega 3 are mackerel, salmon, and sardines.
Some of the foods contain all these minerals and vitamins; that is why dieticians recommend these foods to be included in our diets. They are essential to keep our ears healthy and our hearing sharp. That is why we call them superfoods for the ear.
