Whether you’re tanning on the beach or simply taking a walk in the park, our bodies are constantly exposed to the sun’s rays – even when you’re indoors (given that your windows let them pass through!).
Exposure to sunlight is actually great for your body, as it serves as our primary source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for keeping or bones and immune system strong, thus it is always advised to have at least 15 minutes of exposure to UV rays daily.[1]
However, having too much exposure to sunlight can be damaging to the skin as well, hence the popularity of sunscreens and umbrellas. A lack of protection from these UV rays can lead to wrinkles, dry skin, and a higher risk of developing skin cancer.
Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage
But aside from these specialized lotions, there’s another effective but often overlooked way to protect your skin from sun damage: by including the right foods in your diet. That’s right – by simply switching up your diet, you’ll help protect your skin build up a stronger resistance against UV rays, as well as stimulate faster cell repair.
According to research, here’s what you should eat to promote sun damage skin repair.[2,3,4]:
- Blueberries
Apart from being excellent cheesecake toppings, blueberries also happen to be one of the healthiest fruits out there due to their high concentration of powerful antioxidants. Although antioxidants are well known for preventing chronic diseases, they are also capable of protecting your skin from the damage caused by sun exposure and stress which increases the levels of free radicals on your skin.
Additionally, blueberries are high in vitamin C, which is known to stimulate collagen synthesis and assists in protecting the skin from UV-induced damage. By boosting collagen production, the outer protective layer of your skin is strengthened, reducing the damage of UV rays.[5]
- Green Tea
Green tea is another antioxidant powerhouse, containing polyphenols that have been found to protect against the skin from UV radiation.
In one animal study, epigallocatechin-3-gallet (EGCG), a major green tea catechin, was found to have reduced UV-induce skin damage and collagen deterioration among guinea pigs, hairless, mice, and human dermal fibroblast cultures.[6]
- Grapes and Red Wine
Grapes are high in polyphenol antioxidants, especially resveratrol. Although grapes and wine are renowned for its benefits to the heart, the same polyphenols were also found to benefit our skin as well, with its photoprotective and anti-aging activities.
In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the flavonoids in red wine was found to prevent UV-induced cell death and oxidative damage.[7]
- Watermelon
Watermelons are one of the most refreshing fruits to eat on a hot day. They also happen to contain powerful antioxidants, specifically lycopene -which is also responsible for its signature red color on the inside.
Although it takes a while to take effect, lycopene was found to improve the skin’s photoprotective capabilities. Although it can’t necessarily replace sunblock, the photoprotective boost which lycopene is capable of giving adds an extra layer of safety from the damaging effects of UV rays.[8]
- Nuts and Seeds
Many people enjoy eating nuts and seeds as snacks, or sometimes as topping to add an extra crunch to their food. Nuts and seeds also happen to be extremely healthy, mainly because they contain all the nutrients a plant needs to get its start in life. One of the many nutrients these seeds contain vitamin E, which is known to reduce UV damage to the skin, as it acts as an antioxidant that combats the effects of free radicals.
These nuts and seeds are also an important source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are not produced by our bodies. Omega-3 fatty acids have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and it helps our bodies control how it reacts to UV rays. Additionally, omega-3 helps keep our skin hydrated, preventing dryness that comes from excessive sun exposure.
- Tomatoes
You may typically encounter tomatoes as ketchup, or as an ingredient of pasta, pizza, calzone, shakshuka, or salsa picante. Tomatoes are common and is used in the majority of the world’s cuisines.
Tomatoes are also the top source of lycopene, which explains why it has such a vibrant red color. As mentioned earlier, lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that is proven to boost our skin’s photoprotective qualities.
To get the most out of tomatoes, however, it must be cooked before consumption. Cooking tomatoes increases the potency of its lycopene by up to 171 percent![9]
- Olive Oil
Olive oil is one the healthiest cooking oils out there you can use, as it is made up of monounsaturated fats – a healthy type of fat with anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy properties. This is unlike in most cooking oils nowadays, which are mostly made up of harmful saturated or trans fats.
Because it is derived from a plant source, olive oil is rich in antioxidants, such as squalene. Squalene was found to prevent skin cell death as a result of oxidative stress (by free radicals), such as those caused by sun exposure. This can help preserve your skin’s youthfulness, despite its exposure to sunlight.[10]
Compared to other oils, olive oil also contains significant amounts of vitamin A, D, K, and E.
- Bell Peppers
Bell peppers never fail to provide a satisfying earthy taste to dishes, with a tinge of sweetness. When it’s not overcooked, it can also provide an enjoyable crunch to your food.
But did you know that bell peppers contain more vitamin C than oranges? For every medium-sized bell pepper, you’ll receive up to 169% of your RDI for vitamin C. As mentioned earlier, vitamin C is crucial for collagen synthesis, which helps strengthen the protective outer layer of your skin.[11]
Bell pepper are also an excellent source of beta carotene, an antioxidant that provides its diverse range of colors. Beta carotene is also the precursor for vitamin A, which provides protection against sunburn.
- Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are the more nutrient-dense sibling of your regular white potatoes. Because of their affordability, impressive nutrient profile, and ease of cultivation, sweet potatoes have become a staple in many cultures.
Sweet potatoes are another great source of beta carotene, which is evident from its vibrant colors. As an antioxidant, beta carotene can improve your skin’s defense against harmful UV rays, preventing premature cell death.
- Avocados
Avocados are one of the most celebrated health foods of the decade, mostly because it is jam packed with plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.
These omega-3 fatty acids will help protect your skin from UV damage, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties and hydrating effects. Avocados are also high in vitamin E, which provides another layer of protection against UV rays.
- Strawberries
Whether you’re spreading them on your toast, drinking them in a smoothie, or eating them with a chocolate dip, strawberries are one of the tastiest and healthiest fruits around. Just like their fellow red-colored fruits (tomatoes and watermelons), strawberries are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which is known to have photoprotective properties.
- Salmon
Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, are nature’s prime sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Although plant-based omega-3 are also healthy (ALA), the omega-3 derived from fish provides a set of fatty acids that are more complete and directly used by the body (as opposed to only ALA, which is first converted into either EPA and DHA before your body utilizes it). This is why fish oil is highly popular, especially for its proven benefits for heart and brain health.[12]
These omega-3 fatty acids can help regulate your skin’s oil production, improve hydration, and strengthens your skin’s protection against UV damage overall.
- Dark Chocolate
Compared to your regular (and sweeter) milk chocolate, dark chocolate is considered healthier because it has a higher concentration of cocoa, which is the healthiest component of a chocolate bar.
Pure cocoa is renowned for its potent antioxidants, namely flavanols. As antioxidants, flavanols protect your skin from oxidative stress caused by excessive UV exposure, increasing your skin’s durability.
- Carrots
Carrots are well known for their vibrant orange color, and crunchy texture that lightens up any meal.
As can be observed from their color, carrots are high in beta carotene, an antioxidant which also serves as the precursor to vitamin A. Carrots also contain a significant amount of vitamin C and lycopene, making this vegetable a powerhouse of nutrients that can protect your skin from the harmful effects of sun exposure.
- Broccoli
Whether you love or hate them, broccoli still stands as one of the healthiest vegetables out there, due to their high concentration of antioxidants. Additionally, cruciferous vegetables such as the broccoli uniquely contain sulforaphane, which has been found to provide anti-cancer benefits and can protect your skin from sun damage.
Other examples of cruciferous vegetables with similar benefits include kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and bok choy.
Conclusion
If you’re one of those people who are always outdoors, the harmful effects of sun exposure is a major concern. Although we need the vitamin D that comes from UV rays, prolonged exposure can damage your skin cells in the long run, and even increases the chances of developing skin cancer.
But aside from sunscreens and umbrellas, eating the right food is another way you can increase your skin’s resistance from these harmful UV rays. As you can see in this list, these foods are very common and can be easily incorporated in most diets. These foods mainly contain antioxidants, beneficial fats, and vitamins that increase your skin’s defenses against the degenerative effects of UV rays.
So if you’re looking for a long-term protection from skin damage, reducing your consumption of processed foods and swapping them for these healthful foods should be a great solution. Apart from benefitting your skin, these foods will also benefit other areas of your health – it’s a win-win for your body!
References
[1] Ware, M. (2019, November 7) What are the health benefits of vitamin D? Retrieved on December 3, 2020 from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618
[2] Ciccolini, K. (2020, March 20) 6 Sun-Protection Foods to Turn Your Skin Into an Anti-Wrinkle Fortress. Retrieved on December 3, 2020 from https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/foods-reverse-sun-damage-skin-protection
[3] Benshoan, A. (2020, July 6) 20 Foods With UV-Protecting Properties. Retrieved on December 3, 2020 from https://www.eatthis.com/sun-protecting-foods/
[4] Baum, I. (2016, July 6) Protect Your Skin From Sun Damage With These Foods. Retrieved on December 3, 2020 from https://www.bustle.com/articles/170712-13-surprising-foods-that-can-protect-you-from-sun-skin-damage
[5] Pullar, J. M., Carr, A. C., & Vissers, M. (2017). The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients, 9(8), 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080866
[6] Kim, J., Hwang, J. S., Cho, Y. K., Han, Y., Jeon, Y. J., & Yang, K. H. (2001). Protective effects of (–)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate on UVA-and UVB-induced skin damage. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 14(1), 11-19. https://doi.org/10.1159/000056329
[7] Matito, C., Agell, N., Sanchez-Tena, S., Torres, J. L., & Cascante, M. (2011). Protective effect of structurally diverse grape procyanidin fractions against UV-induced cell damage and death. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 59(9), 4489–4495. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf103692a
[8] Stahl, W., & Sies, H. (2012). β-Carotene and other carotenoids in protection from sunlight. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 96(5), 1179S-1184S. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.034819
[9] Cornell University. (2002, April 23) Cooking Tomatoes Boosts Disease-Fighting Power. Retrieved on December 6, 2020 from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/04/020422073341.htm
[10] Huang, Z. R., Lin, Y. K., & Fang, J. Y. (2009). Biological and pharmacological activities of squalene and related compounds: potential uses in cosmetic dermatology. Molecules, 14(1), 540-554. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules14010540
[11] Arnarson, A. (2019, March 27) Bell Peppers 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. Retrieved on December 6, 2020 from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/bell-peppers
[12] Hjalmarsdottir, F. (2019, May 27) The 3 Most Important Types of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Retrieved on December 6, 2020 from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/3-types-of-omega-3
