With the excitement of summer comes so many different opportunities to enjoy yourself in the sunshine. While it can be so fun to spend time with your loved ones in nature’s beautiful gifts, don’t forget to apply your sunscreen!
The effects the sun has on skin can be scary, but luckily for you, we have a few foods that you can incorporate into your diet to further shield you from the sun’s powerful rays. Read ahead to find out how you can make sure to stay healthy and happy while partaking in everything that the happy vibes of summer has to offer!
1. Chomp Those Carrots!
Crunch! Other than being a refreshing crunchy treat to chomp on, carrots contain beta-carotene. This is an antioxidant that helps your body neutralize the UV rays from the sun.
Not only that, they also contain vitamin A. This helps your overall skin resilience, helping your skin heal from sunburns a little quicker. Does anyone have some ranch to go with?
2. Green Tea
Green tea is used by many health professionals due to its many positive effects on the body. In relation to the sun, the polyphenols that are present in green tea have anti-inflammatory properties.
These polyphenols can help reduce the damage done to your skin when it comes in contact with the sun. There has even been research on applying green tea to your skin physically, which reduces inflammation as well!
3. Fantastic Fish
Eating fish is one of the best ways to fuel your body with omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients in the body. When consumed by you, the fatty acids get to work helping reduce the damage done to your skin from sunburns and other harmful topical damage.
You can even kill two birds with one stone! Plan a fun fishing trip with your friends and catch your own fish to eat to help shield your beautiful face from harm.
4. Fresh, Juicy Watermelon
One of the most classic summer foods, watermelon is both refreshing and tasty. It’s the epitome of summer all in one. Watermelon has a high content of lycopene, a strong antioxidant.
It assists with your skin cell health and enhances the recovery process after your skin cells are hurt from being outside for a prolonged period of time.
5. Tomatoes
When you get sunburnt, one might say you look like a tomato! But did you know that tomatoes can actually help ward off any harm done to your body after spending a little too much time outside?
Tomatoes have lots of lycopene, similar to watermelon and aids your skin cells as well. It also makes your sunburn less noticeable by lessening redness. Ironic because tomatoes themselves are very, very red!
6. Delicious Dark Chocolate
Continuing on our theme of helpful antioxidants, dark chocolate contains potent ones called flavonoids. These antioxidants make blood flow in your body more efficient, speeding up the healing process as your skin attempts to repair itself from sun harm.
Flavonoids also increase skin thickness, making your skin more able to withstand the sun’s rays. Does that mean it’s time to bake a delectable chocolate cake?
7. Citrus Fruits
Time to pretend to take a little trip to a lush island and get your tropical fruit fix! Citrus fruits such as lemons, grapefruits, and oranges have large amounts of vitamin C, another antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals and heal your body from sun injury.
They also contain collagen, which helps strengthen your skin cells and make them more resilient. Orange juice anyone?
8. Leafy Greens
Summer salads are a perfect way to get creative and experiment with different ingredients and flavors. Beta-carotene is very present in these different types of lettuce like kale, romaine, and spinach.
Consuming this antioxidant will allow you to spend more time outside and give you that extra level of protection. Grab some leafy greens and utilize those fresh garden fruits and vegetables to make a refreshing summer salad that not only tastes delicious, but also keeps your skin from harm!
9. Go Nuts!
Vitamin E is another anti-inflammatory antioxidant that works wonders for your skin cells. This antioxidant is plentiful in nuts, making them a perfect summer snack.
Oxidative stress is caused to your skin when it sees too much sun, which can be alleviated through consuming vitamin E. Pick out the trail mix of your dreams and enjoy!
10. Berries, Berries, and More Berries
Berries are like nature’s candy! Who wouldn’t want to indulge in a juice handful of berries after swimming in the ocean or going for a long hike?
They have so many different antioxidants in them like flavonoids, vitamin C, and polyphenols. They prepare your skin to see the powerful sun and lower the risk of long term skin damage from sun exposure.
11. Stay Protected, No Shade!
These foods are all ways for you to take the extra step of protecting your skin from sun damage. Stay cool and protected and you will have the summer of your dreams.
These foods can help you, but sunscreen is still very important – don’t forget to also apply sunscreen as well!
Mindful Living
Hopefully, with a little mindfulness and some knowledge, you can now make the best choices for your lifestyle and your skin. Remember that we are all different and that it is important to adapt to what is right for you.
It is always beneficial to consult your doctor or a health professional before you do anything extreme and to always be in tune with how you feel in order to maximize results because your health and well-being is number one.
