Did you know you can eat certain foods to boost your sun protection? Sounds silly, right? No, we’re not kidding! Oranges, dark chocolate, and spinach have components that protect your skin from harmful radiation. So, if you’re looking for ways to avoid conventional sunscreen or just get an extra boost in protection, what you eat can help you achieve that goal. Read on to know more.
Green Tea
Green tea has polyphenols, micronutrients that prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer. Research has shown that people who drink green tea had lower risk of skin cancer. Polyphenols in green tea stop the growth of skin cancer cells. Take note that sun exposure increases your risk of skin cancer because of exposure to UV light. Thus, it makes sense to drink more green tea if you spend a lot of time outdoors.
Spinach
Spinach and swiss chard contain lots of antioxidants, such as carotenoids and polyphenols, which protect your skin from skin damage. Other green leafy veggies are great sources of antioxidants. Dark leafy greens have components that can help you keep sun damage at bay. In fact, a study confirmed that consuming dark green leafy vegetables lowered the risk of recurrence of skin cancer in patients previously afflicted by the same condition.
Kale
Kale is in the class of nutritious cruciferous vegetables that you shouldn’t miss for so many reasons, including cancer prevention. In fact, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower are rich in antioxidants that help fight cancer-inducing free radicals. Skin cancer is only one of the many types of cancer that cruciferous vegetables can prevent.
Red Bell Pepper
Red bell pepper is rich in lycopene. Guess what? It’s another antioxidant. Actually, lycopene is a class of carotenoids you can find in red and orange vegetables and fruits. That means you can find in tomatoes and carrots as well. Lycopene offers protection against UV damage. Another type of carotenoid present in red and orange produce is beta-carotene, which reduces your risk of sunburns. Add the flavanoid component in these types of vegetables and fruits, and you get a good dose of sun protection.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is known to be a rich source of flavanoids, which as you have known already, fight sun damage due to UV exposure. Long term consumption of flavanoid-rich foods significantly lowers your risk of skin damage due to sun exposure. Flavanoids act like a protective coating on your skin. In addition, they keep the skin healthy by improving blood flow, thus helping it maintain its moisture and oxygenation.
Salmon
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Did you know omega-3 has awesome anti-inflammatory properties? It also protects your skin cells from damage due to sun exposure. That’s on top of omega-3 being a healthy type of fat that helps your body get rid of bad fat and cholesterol.
It seems you may not need your sunscreen lotion after all. You may still need a hat though to keep the heat away.