There is nothing that will replace the use of sunscreen and sun protective clothing when you are spending time outdoors, but did you know there are foods that can help boost your body’s own sun protection against the harmful ultra-violet (UV) rays, and even help repair some skin damage?
There are no foods that replace sunscreen entirely, but adding these foods to your diet may be the extra sun protection boost you need in the fight against skin cancer. So, pour yourself another cup of java and start planning menus with more of these healthful fruits and vegetables. Here are five foods that are easy to incorporate into your diet for sun protection and help reduce your risk of skin cancer.
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are naturally rich in lycopene, a carotene that is known to have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 3. Cooked tomatoes have a higher concentration of lycopene than raw tomatoes, and you'd have to eat a lot of either version to get full protection so you certainly can’t count on tomatoes alone as your sun protection (especially when outdoors) but adding them to your diet regularly will help defend your skin against the sun’s rays.
