Even though some time spent in the sun each day is great for our health, the sun’s strong rays can have damaging effects on the skin and possibly even lead to skin cancer.
Did you know that you can protect your skin from the potentially harmful effects of the sun by eating certain foods?
Foods such as sweet potatoes, watermelon, strawberries, kiwi, oranges, apples, tomatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, red peppers, pink grapefruit, guavas, cherries, dark chocolate, walnuts, green tea, and almonds can all help to guard your skin from the sun’s damaging rays because they contain nutrients known as antioxidants. Â You’ll want to load up on these foods that fight sun damage.
Just remember to rotate these foods in your diet to arm your body with a variety of antioxidants.
Would you believe that even pizza offers some protection because the tomato sauce contains an antioxidant called lycopene?
Time to put Pizza Hut on speed dial!
If you’re looking for a lighter way to load up on cancer-fighting foods, drink these healthy smoothies. They’ll also help to prevent wrinkles which is a pretty nice bonus.
Kiwi Apple Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 kiwis (skins removed)
1 cored apple
2 cups of kale
1 whole carrot
1/2 cup water
2-3 ice cubes
Directions: Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth. Serve cold.
Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 cups of seedless watermelon
1 cup of strawberries
2 cups of spinach
½ of a tomato
2-3 ice cubes
Directions: Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth. If you find that it is too thick, add some water as needed. Serve cold.
While eating to keep your skin healthy is certainly fun, food is not a substitute for sunscreen. Just think of an antioxidant-rich diet as an extra layer of protection- and a great excuse to order pizza tonight!
