Edible Sunscreen?

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 Grapes: edible sunscreen!

 

The skin is the largest organ of the human body; contributing to 16% of your body mass! This is why protecting it is so important. Sun rays are great for vitamin D levels, but without the right skin protection, they can be very damaging. Sunblock is always encouraged, but more protection is always appreciated. A study from a group of researchers at the University of Alabama, Birmingham discovered that eating 2 ¼ cups of grapes, or a powder of freeze-dried grapes, can significantly increase your skin’s resistance to UV rays!

 




The Study

Each participant had their sensitivity to UV light assessed before and after the trial. This was done by assigning a MED (Minimal Erythema Dose) value to each participant. This value indicated the threshold in which UV radiation will cause visible redness in the skin. Study results found that the amount of UV light required to redden participants skin was about 74.8% greater after grape consumption for 14 days. 

 

What does this mean for skin cancer?

Statistics show that a whopping one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. Although there isn’t enough research to say that early grape consumption will decrease your risk of developing skin cancer, the findings are definitely promising! The success of this study has caused many researchers to dig even deeper. 

 

How is this possible?

Grapes are naturally high in Polyphenols- a naturally occurring compound high in antioxidants that found in certain plants and fruits. Polyphenols provide many advantages to the human body, two of them being anti-inflammatory effects and UV-ray damage repair. An increase in polyphenols in the skin results in fewer skin-cell death, decreased inflammation, and increased healing. 

More advantages of polyphenols include helping with digestion, assisting with weight management difficulties, and helping rid the body of toxins. Other foods that are high in polyphenols but have not been a part of any studies regarding UV protection are cloves, dark chocolate, nuts and beans. 

 

In conclusion, there isn’t enough research to promote the idea that grape intake will DEFINITELY allow you to avoid skin cancer; however, the research is very promising so far. How awesome is it that food can have that big of an impact on our skin health?!




-ND


Reference

https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/grapes-uv-protection


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