You’re still going to need sunscreen, but research is showing that there are some foods that can actually help your body’s own sun defenses. These foofs may help fend off damage from the sun’s UV (ultra violet) rays, which in turn will help lower the risk of skin cancer.
Lycopene is an antioxident and is found in the red pigment found in some vegetables and fruits. England’s Newcastle University has done research showing that people who consumed about 1/4 cup tomato paste each day had fewer sunburns and their skin’s ability to naturally protect from the sun was increased by a third. The reason: lycopene basically soaks up free radicals which helps prevent DNA damage.
Some foods rich in lycopene include tomatoes, watermelon, apricots and guava, carrots, grapefuit and sweet red peppers. The body does not make lycopene, so it must be ingested.
We’ll cover flavonols in the next segment.
Note: Consider allergies and any medication interactions.
