Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Foods can protect you from sun?


Foods high in antioxidants have been proven to prevent against skin cancer. Dietary antioxidants can reduce the risk of sunburn, precancerous skin growth, and squamous cell carcinoma.
You always hear don’t wear black it attracts the sun, well for plants their colorful pigment repels the sun. Their color is similar to sunscreen; the more colorful the plant is the more protection it has. Imagine what happens when we consume these fruits and vegetables. Most plants contain lycopene which is a type of carotenoid found in red and pink fruits. Caritenoids protect against areas such as the eyes and skin. Perhaps you have heard carrots are good for your eyes. HMM? Raw tomatoes also contain lycopene, yet cooked are even better. A study was conducted where the subjects consumed tomato paste for ten weeks. After those weeks they were 40 percent less likely to be burned by the sun.
The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish protect our skin, as they aid in inflammation. Fats such as monosaturated fats able to defend themselves better than saturated fats, for “good” fats are better for your body. Those who cut his or her fat intake decreased their risk by a whopping 75%.
Believe it or not chocolate is another helpful food in the protection against the sun. Chocolate contains antioxidants called flavoniods. Try it at home by eating 2 ounces of dark chocolate a day.
Green tea and black tea contain polyphenols, antioxidants that target “free radicals” from the sun. These may also modereate the sun exposure. Those who drank two or more cups a day had a 30 % less chance of developing cancer. Hint: the longer the tea steeps the more polyphenols are being released.
Last but not least green leafy veggies are another great addition to your sunscreen diet. These would include kale, chard, broccoli, and spinach. Broccoli contains sulfraphane an anticancer compound which increases the bodies natural production of enzymes.
This could very well be related to different cultures around the world, for we all consume different foods and all have different skin tones.

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