Foods That Fight Sunburn
Let me start by saying the most effective way to protect your skin against sunburn is using sunscreen and plenty of it – a shot-glass worth – frequently. While a bit of sunlight is healthy, since we need UV rays to synthesize vitamin D, you should wear sunscreen daily.
You can, however, boost your skin's ability to protect itself from harmful UV rays by eating certain foods like tomatoes. Don't worry if you are still avoiding raw tomatoes, the beneficial antioxidant of tomatoes increases when it is cooked and more concentrated like tomato paste. The benefits of tomatoes drastically increase when paired with olive oil. I see an Italian dinner in my near future.
Green tea, super rich in phytonutrients, is a wonder drink when it comes to health. The antioxidants in this tea have been found to block DNA damage from UV light in studies involving human skin cells. You don't need to brew yourself a hot cup of tea to enjoy the benefits of green tea. One of my favorite drinks of Summer is a green tea-lime cooler. It is refreshing.
While you can't eat your sunscreen, you can boost your natural protection. Eat and drink up!
