5 Foods to Protect Your Skin and Reverse Sun Damage Naturally
Is summer your choice of the season? Are you one of those people who takes out their gears and goes trekking on sunny days? Or are you someone who hides in the darkest of dungeons during summer months?! Whether you are a summer person or not, truth is that we can’t completely escape the Sun or avoid the damage it inflicts!
Now if you are a summer savvy person, you know the dangers of UV overexposure! And if you are not one, you should Get into the habit of checking the UV index daily.
Excessive UV exposure doesn’t just cause a tan or sunburn, it leads to photoaging, premature wrinkles, and skin damage, thanks to one key culprit, i.e., free radicals. UV photons promote the formation of free radicals. These free radicals damage skin cells by attacking cell DNA, breaking down collagen and elastin fiber, because of this, skin loses strength and elasticity, it starts sagging and forming wrinkles thus we look older.
Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules and they can cause damage by interacting with DNA or the cell membrane, etc.
But don’t worry. Nature has gifted us powerful antioxidant-rich foods that help reverse sun damage and keep your skin glowing, even during peak summer. So, let’s explore 5 easily available, affordable, and super-effective foods that protect our skin and reverse sun damage naturally.
5 Foods to Reverse Sun Damage Naturally
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress on the skin. The most powerful ones include Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, Vitamin E, Flavonoids & Polyphenols. Here, we’ve listed top 5 antioxidant-rich foods that can help repair sun-damaged skin naturally.
Guava
This “non-novelty” fruit is easily found in abundance in almost all tropic countries. One Guava fruit contains twice as much vitamin C as a Kiwi fruit and 5 times more than of an orange! So, thinking of purchasing that expensive Vit C supplement, why not try a guava fruit instead?
How to eat it: This is a no fuss food. Just wash, cut and eat it! 🙂
Indian Plums
Also known as Indian Jujube or Ber, is a fruit that is absolutely inexpensive and is loved by people of all ages and all classes!
This specific fruit is a great source of not one but three kinds of antioxidant compounds, i.e., Vit C, Phenolics and Flavonoids. The combination of these 3 is what makes this fruit a true “Superfruit”. And did I mention how inexpensive it is? (Point is, healthy does not have to be unaffordable!)
How to eat it: Straight up, wash, cut and eat.
Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Amla fruit is one of the best sources of vitamin C known to the mankind. This fruit is being used in Ayurvedic system of medicine for thousands of years and is revered as the earthly form of the elixir (Amrit) itself
1 Amla fruit has almost 20 times more vitamin C than that of an orange! Still, Amla is my third best pick and that is because it is extremely sour/astringent in taste and rarely (if ever) is eaten straight as it is!
Sweet Potatoes
Not the whit flesh ones..the ones with the orange flesh; these are rich in beta carotene. Richer than carrots, tomatoes, squash and spinach!! Not only that, it is also packed with other antioxidants like Vitamin C, anthocyanins and are a great source of dietary fiber as well.
So what are you waiting for, gather your favorite summer vegetables, thrown in some grilled sweet potatoes and a dressing of your choice and you have got yourself a healthylecious salad.
Mango
Being delicious is no sin! I just do not understand why do people blame Mangoes for their blood sugar and weight issues (portion control people..portion control!) Mango is the best thing that has happened to mankind. I truly believe that.
Mango is on this list due to its beta-carotene content…Now it may not be as high as that of Sweet potatoes and Cantaloupes but it has more than just beta-carotene; it is a very good source of Vitamin C and a significant source of Vitamin E as well.
A cup full of mango pieces provide enough Vitamin C to meet your daily requirement of the nutrient.
Wrapping Up – Reverse Sun Damage Naturally
That was the top 5 antioxidant picks. We considered things like season, availability, affordability and taste were given equally important as of their antioxidant content while picking them. These are highly effective in reversing sun damage and bringing back your skin’s youthful glow. Now, what are your top antioxidant picks? Leave the reply down below!
