Protect Your Skin this Summer with These 3 Food Groups (And 2 to Avoid)

Support your body’s natural defenses against the damaging effects of sunlight with these delicious, photoprotective foods. 

1. Deeply-colored fruits and vegetables 

The deep purples, blues, and reds of these foods signify an abundance of polyphenols and other antioxidants. Sunshine causes a burst of collagen-damaging free radicals in the skin. Polyphenols and other antioxidants are quick to quench these damaging molecules

Pomegranate

Rich in ellagic acid- a phytochemical with potent antioxidant capacity. Pomegranate has been shown in humans to increase tolerance to sunlight and reduce sunburn (1).

Blueberries and Grapes (especially the seed and skin!)

Rich in polyphenols such as resveratrol and anthocyanins. The antioxidant power of proanthocyanidins is estimated to be 20 timesgreater than vitamin E and 50 times greater than vitamin C. Theyare found to reduce ultraviolet radiation-induced skin cancer in
mice (2).

Cranberries

Rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E in addition to polyphenols. Vitamin C is a primary water-soluble antioxidant in the skin. Both topical and oral vitamin C supplementation can reduce sunburn following ultraviolet radiation (3, 4).

2. Carotenoids

Carotenoids are pigments that give fruits and vegetables their orange and yellow hues. After being eaten, carotenoids accumulate in the skin where they are able to directly absorb damaging rays of light in addition to
serving as antioxidants. It’s best to eat carotenoids with healthy fats like olive oil or nuts to improve absorption.
There are more than 600 carotenoids, but the most abundant carotenoids in humans are alpha and beta-carotene, lycopene, as well as the xanthophylls lutein,zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin. Studies show that consuming carotenoids for 10 weeks decreases sensitivityto sunlight (5).


Carrots

Rich in beta-carotene. Two carrots provides the goal dose of dailybeta-carotene for sun protection; ~10mg. Oral beta-carotene supplementation can provide an estimated SPF of ~4 (6).

Tomatoes

Rich in lycopene. A study showed that 16 mg of lycopene per day(about 2.5 TBSP of tomato paste) resulted in a 40% reduction in ultraviolet B light- induced sunburn in humans (7).

Dark Leafy Greens

E.g. spinach and kale are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. Thecarotenoid lutein even absorbs BLUE light, which is 100 times moredamaging than red light and causes sun spots. Blue light is poorly
blocked by sunscreen and is emitted from our electronics.

 

3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in our bodies can play a significant role in how well we tolerate sunlight. Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory and studies show that diets high in omega-3 are associated with improved ultraviolet tolerance (8) and may even reduce skin cancer risk (9). In mice, diets high in omega-3 compared to omega-6 show a significant reduction in UV-induced skin cancer (10).


Salmon

Contains high levels of EPA and DHA, two important omega-3 fattyacids.

Flaxseeds

Rich in ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid that the body can convert to EPAand DHA.

Walnuts

A unique nut source of omega-3s.

Chia Seeds

Tiny seeds but packed with a significant punch of ALA.

Sardines

Affordable and loaded with omega-3s.


Avoid These Two Food Groups

High-glycemic foods

Foods that increase your blood sugar and insulin levels are pro-inflammatory, compounding the damaging effects of sunlight. Additionally, elevated blood sugar levels do their own direct damage to structures in the skin such as collagen, contributing to wrinkles and decreased subcutaneous volume.

Trans-fats and too much Omega-6 Fatty Acid

Trans-fats come from both industrial and natural sources and are undeniably BAD for your health. The WHO states that “more than 278,000 deaths each year globally can be attributed to the intake of industrially produced trans-fat” (11).

  1. Trans-fats: margarine, vegetable shortening, fried foods, and many baked goods like crackers, biscuits and pies.
  2. Omega-6 fatty acid, in particular linoleic acid, is not inherently unhealthy, but it is the high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 that causes a pro-inflammatory constitution. The WHO links the increased consumption of industrial seed or vegetable oils like safflower, sunflower, cottenseed, soybean, and corn oil with the high levels of omega-6 due to their very high amounts of concentrated linoleic acid. As noted above, there is abundant evidence in both humans and in mouse studies that shows a low omega-6 to omega-3 ratio results in improved sunlight tolerance and less burning.

To sum it up, our bodies are made to thrive under the sun in moderation. Nature offers
us the essential nutrients through food to nourish our skin all summer long—it’s all
about what we put on our plates!

References:

  1. Henning SM, Yang J, Lee RP, Huang J, Hsu M, Thames G, Gilbuena I, Long J, Xu Y, Park EH, Tseng CH, Kim J, Heber D, Li Z. Pomegranate Juice and Extract Consumption Increases the Resistance to UVB-induced Erythema and Changes the Skin Microbiome in Healthy Women: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Sci Rep. 2019 Oct 10;9(1):14528. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-50926-2. PMID: 31601842; PMCID: PMC6787198.
  2. Mittal A, Elmets CA, Katiyar SK. Dietary feeding of proanthocyanidins from grape seeds prevents photocarcinogenesis in SKH-1 hairless mice: relationship to decreased fat and lipid peroxidation. Carcinogenesis. 2003 Aug;24(8):1379-88. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgg095. Epub 2003 Jun 5. PMID: 12807737.
  3. Oresajo C, Stephens T, Hino PD, Law RM, Yatskayer M, Foltis P, Pillai S, Pinnell SR. Protective effects of a topical antioxidant mixture containing vitamin C, ferulicacid, and phloretin against ultraviolet-induced photodamage in human skin. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2008 Dec;7(4):290-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1473-2165.2008.00408.x. PMID:19146606.
  4. Fuchs J, Kern H. Modulation of UV-light-induced skin inflammation by D-alpha-tocopherol and L-ascorbic acid: a clinical study using solar simulated radiation. Free Radic Biol Med. 1998 Dec;25(9):1006-12. doi: 10.1016/s0891-5849(98)00132-4. PMID: 9870553.
  5. Stahl W, Heinrich U, Aust O, Tronnier H, Sies H. Lycopene-rich products and dietary photoprotection. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2006;5(2):238-242.
    doi:10.1039/b505312a
  6. Köpcke W, Krutmann J. Protection from sunburn with beta-Carotene--a meta-analysis. Photochem Photobiol. 2008 Mar-Apr;84(2):284-8.
  7. Stahl, W et al. “Dietary tomato paste protects against ultraviolet light-induced erythema in humans.” The Journal of nutrition vol. 131,5 (2001): 1449-51
  8. Miura K, Vail A, Chambers D, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid supplement skin cancer prophylaxis in lung transplant recipients: A randomized, controlled pilot trial. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2019;38(1):59-65. doi:10.1016/j.healun.2018.09.009
  9. Huang TH, Wang PW, Yang SC, Chou WL, Fang JY. Cosmetic and Therapeutic Applications of Fish Oil's Fatty Acids on the Skin. Mar Drugs. 2018 Jul 30;16(8):256. doi: 10.3390/md16080256. PMID: 30061538; PMCID: PMC6117694.
  10. Lou Y.R., Peng Q.Y., Li T., Medvecky C.M., Lin Y., Shih W.J., Conney A.H., Shapses S., Wagner G.C., Lu Y.P. Effects of high-fat diets rich in either omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids on UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis in SKH-1 mice. Carcinogenesis. 2011;32:1078–1084.
  11. World Health Organization “Trans Fat” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/trans-fat
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