Today’s Health Tip ~ What Foods Will Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage?
Ray Calabrese
6 Sun-Protection Foods to Turn Your Skin Into an Anti-Wrinkle Fortress
Blueberries – Blueberries are rich in powerful antioxidants that fight off free radicals that can damage skin due to sun exposure and stress. Blueberries are even more powerful if they’re a wild variety. They’re also a very good source of vitamin C, which can help prevent wrinkles from a day on the beach.
Watermelon – Tomatoes are known for containing lycopene, an antioxidant responsible for tomatoes’ red color. But watermelons actually contain far more. Lycopene absorbs both UVA and UVB radiation, although it may take several weeks for the skin to become more photoprotective due to its turnover rate.After a few weeks of daily, juicy watermelon consumption (not too hard to manage in the hot weather!), lycopene can eventually act as a natural sunblock
Nuts & Seeds – Walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flax all contain omega-3 essential fatty acids. Fish and eggs are also great sources of this clean, skin-loving fat. Our bodies can’t make omega-3s, so it’s essential that we get them from our diet. What do omega-3s do for your skin? They help maintain your skin’s integrity and are anti-inflammatory, too. Omega-3s also help your body naturally cope with the effects of spending a little too much time in the sun.
Carrots & Leafy Greens – Eating a variety of foods rich in vitamin A makes getting the daily quota a little easier. Carrots and leafy greens like kale and spinach are great beta carotene-packed additions to your meals, even breakfast smoothies. In particular, leafy greens are high in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. These have been foundto protect against wrinkling, sun damage, and even skin cancer.
Green Tea – In a 2010 study, researchers found that green tea consumption led to fewer tumors induced by UV light in mice. This was due to a flavanol contained in both green and black tea known as EGCG. Another animal study on green tea found that it reduced skin damage from UVA light and protected against the decrease of collagen. Collagen is our body’s most abundant protein. It gives skin its integrity and firmness.
Cauliflower – When it comes to veggies and fruits, a general health rule to live and shop by is to gravitate toward more vibrantly colored eats. This is because they’re likely to have more antioxidants. But don’t let cauliflower’s pale florets fool you. This cruciferous veggie is the exception to the rule. Cauliflower contains potent antioxidants that help fight off oxidative stress from free radicals. On top of this perk, cauliflower is also a naturally sun-protective food thanks to histidine. This alpha-amino acid stimulates the production of urocanic acid, which absorbs UV radiation.
