How to Eat your Sunscreen – 5 Foods that Can Protect you From Harmful Sunrays
By Nmami Agarwal 21-May 2020 Reading Time: 6 Mins
With the summer season approaching, we are all thrilled to go on vacations, hang out with our friends and go café hopping. Most days are bright and sunny and going out in the sun might sound like a task to us. While getting some exposure to the sun is necessary to get vitamin D, the harmful sun rays can damage your skin. Ultraviolet radiations are invisible rays that come from the sun. These rays are can burn the skin, resulting in premature aging, skin becomes thick and wrinkled. Prolonged exposure to the sun can even cause skin cancer. The symptoms of skin cancer appear late but the damage starts occurring way before the symptoms are seen. Not just the skin, UV rays have effects on the entire body. It can lead to cataract and other eye damage. Even the immune system is compromised due to overexposure to UV radiation. The skin’s ability to protect against foreign substances is also reduced and harmed.
Several ways are suggested to protect yourself when going out in the sun. Wearing a hat, applying sunscreen or covering your face with masks and sunglasses are some techniques to avoid the harmful sunrays. While slopping your face with tons of sunscreen is one of the most common ways of fighting the sun, certain food items can do the job too.
Here is a list of 5 foods that can protect you from harmful sunrays:
- Citrus fruits: High amounts of vitamin C is found in citrus fruits. Vitamin C is well-known to prevent the production of cancer cells and increase the formation of collagen (a type of protein) in the skin. Fruits such as strawberries, kiwi, lemons, grapefruit, and oranges are full of vitamin C. It even has antioxidant properties that can easily fight off free radicals. Citrus fruits also contain an element known as limonene that significantly lowers the risk of skin cancer. Moreover, it aids in healing sunburns.
- Tomatoes: It is loaded with lycopene which increases sun protection. Tomatoes are extremely good for your skin. Lycopene is an excellent antioxidant that is believed to reduce skin redness and damage to the skin. It is known to make your skin look younger and shields the skin from harmful UV rays. When tomatoes are cooked, more amount of lycopene is formed which is better absorbed by the body. Even watermelon is a great source of lycopene.
- Carrots: Yellow and orange foods are rich in beta-carotene such as sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and apricots. But the amount of beta-carotene is very high in carrots. It offers skin protection and activates inflammatory response when exposed to UV rays. Carrots can protect against wrinkling and reduce the intensity of sunburns.
- Green leafy vegetables: These vegetables have antioxidant properties that lower the damage of harmful UV rays. Green lettuce, kale, and spinach are rich in lutein that increases the tendency of the body to offer sun protection. Cooking these vegetables in olive oil results in better absorption of the nutrients. You can even toss a vegetable salad with carrots and tomatoes.
- Omega-3 fatty acid: Omega 3 is a full package element. It has so many health benefits to offer and can even reduce acne, giving you clear, glowing and younger-looking skin. Foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids are salmon, walnut, fish oil, flaxseeds, olive oil, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds. It is known to reduce the risk of skin cancer and makes your skin less sensitive to UV rays. Sprinkle flaxseeds or sunflower seeds over a cup of yogurt or try out chia pudding.
Footnote
We often tend to ignore or overlook the importance of diet in fighting off natural barriers. This summer season, mix up these foods in your meals and make your body better prepared against the sun.