When the sun’s harmful UV radiation penetrates the skin cells, their DNA is damaged, which can accelerate skin aging and turn skin cells into cancer cells. It writes Illustrated Science.
With the help of sun cream, the radiation can be reflected away or absorbed by the cream. This reduces the risk of getting skin cancer by 40 to 50 percent.
The plants that protect
But it’s not just sunscreen that can offer protection. By eating a certain type of food, the body can create an internal protection against the sun.
Plants create their own sun protection through different chemical structures that absorb the UV radiation. By taking in sufficient amounts of these substances, we can protect the skin.
One of the plant substances that scientists have studied the most is the red pigment lycopene. We find it in vegetables and fruit, such as tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, goji berries and grapefruit.
Tomato puree reduces the risk of burning
In a investigation had some test subjects eat seven milligrams of lycopene every day for four weeks. In connection with this, the researchers could see that the amount of lycopene increased significantly in the participants’ blood and skin samples.
Eating lycopene and tomatoes can strengthen the skin’s ability to protect itself against UV radiation and reduce the risk of burning and pigmentation, according to a analysis from 2023.
People who ate 40 grams of tomato puree every day for ten weeks and were then allowed to sunbathe in UV radiation were found to have 40 percent less red skin compared to a control group.
But if tomato puree doesn’t appeal, you can also try dark chocolate. It also contains substances that give the skin a sun protection factor, according to the study.
However, you get the best protection against the sun from clothes made of tightly woven materials, according to 1177. Dark colors protect best against UV light.