Avoid These Two Food Groups to Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage

Avoid These Two Food Groups to Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage

Did you know that avoiding certain food groups in your diet can do more for your skin than sunscreen?

Surprisingly, many sunscreens on the market can harm your skin more than they protect it. While it’s true that long-term sun exposure is linked to skin cancer, relying on high SPF sunscreen isn’t necessarily the solution, especially if  the sunscreen itself is toxic.

The Hidden Dangers of Sunscreen

Most sunscreens contain vitamin A, specifically retinyl palmitate, due to its antioxidant properties, which are believed to slow down the aging of skin tissue. However, when exposed to sunlight, vitamin A can accelerate the development of skin tumors and lesions. The FDA found that those using vitamin A-enriched sunscreen developed skin tumors 21% faster than those who didn’t. (1)

Another common ingredient in sunscreens is oxybenzone, found in 65% of non-mineral sunscreens. This chemical can penetrate the skin in significant amounts, causing allergic reactions and hormone disruption. Experts particularly advise against its use on children due to these potential risks.

Foods to Avoid to Prevent Sun Damage

Recent research indicates that diet significantly influences how well we manage sun exposure. Here are two food groups you should avoid to protect your skin:

Sugars

A diet high in sugar promotes the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which contribute to the breakdown and aging of connective tissue and vasculature in the body. AGEs form when sugar links with a protein in the body, leading to the breakdown of collagen, resulting in wrinkles and cellulite. Studies in the Journal of Oncology and the Journal of Investigative Dermatology show that UVA rays are more harmful to skin with high AGE levels. (2)(3)

Limit your daily sugar intake, avoid not just sweets but also grains, bread, pasta, cereals, and potatoes, as they often contain hidden sugars. To curb sugar cravings, eat fermented foods and drink probiotic beverages, which keep disease-causing bacteria at bay and promote an appetite for nutrient-dense foods.

Processed Foods

Studies show that dietary antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can halt cancer progression and protect against skin cancer. (4)(5)(6) While processed foods are rich in omega-6 fatty acids from oils like canola, corn, soy, and vegetable oil. These oils are commonly used in restaurants and prepared convenience foods. Animals in industrial farms often eat a corn-based diet, increasing the amount of omega-6 fats in their products. This is another reason to avoid processed foods as a diet high in omega-6 fats promotes the development of skin cancer. (7)

Healthy Alternatives

• Extra-virgin coconut oil: An excellent oil for cooking at high temperatures, and can be blended into smoothies.
• Wild-caught salmon: Contains astaxanthin, offering 500 times more antioxidant protection than vitamin E and several times more than vitamin A.
• Fermented fish oil: Full of nutrients that benefit the entire body and protect against sun damage, including vitamin A and omega-3 fats.
• Green Leafy Vegetables and Berries: High in quercetin and other antioxidants.
• Body Ecology Vitality SuperGreen: A powerful blend of nutrients to add to smoothies or have on-the-go, made from fermented, antioxidant-rich plant material.

Key Takeaways

Eating the right foods can benefit your skin more than applying sunscreen. Many chemical sunscreens contain toxic ingredients that can accelerate skin damage.

Your diet significantly influences how your skin reacts to the sun. This summer, prioritize avoiding these unhealthy food groups that promote sun damage:

Sugars: High sugar intake accelerates skin aging and makes UVA rays more toxic. Combat sugar cravings with fermented foods and probiotic beverages.

Processed Foods: Avoid omega-6-rich processed foods. Instead, opt for a diet high in antioxidants and omega-3 fats from sources like extra-virgin coconut oil and wild-caught salmon.

REFERENCES:

1. The Problem With Vitamin A. EWG Skin Deep Sunscreen Report 2012. May 15 2012. http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/sunscreens-exposed/the-problem-with-vitamin-a/
2. GT Wondrak, et al. Photosensitized Growth Inhibition of Cultured Human Skin Cells: Mechanism and Suppression of Oxidative Stress from Solar Irradiation of Glycated Proteins. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2002. 119: 489–498.
3. Jun-Ichi Takino, et al. Cancer Malignancy Is Enhanced by Glyceraldehyde-Derived Advanced Glycation End-Products. Journal of Oncology. 2010. 2010; 739852: 8 pages.
4. G Lui, et al. Omega 3 but not omega 6 fatty acids inhibit AP-1 activity and cell transformation in JB6 cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Jun 19;98(13):7510-5.
5. HS Black, et al. Influence of dietary omega-6, -3 fatty acid sources on the initiation and promotion stages of photocarcinogenesis. Photochem Photobiol. 1992 Aug;56(2):195-9.
6. IF Orengo, et al. Influence of dietary menhaden oil upon carcinogenesis and various cutaneous responses to ultraviolet radiation. Photochem Photobiol. 1989 Jan;49(1):71-7.
7. VE Reeve, et al. Dependence of photocarcinogenesis and photoimmunosuppression in the hairless mouse on dietary polyunsaturated fat. Cancer Lett. 1996 Nov 29;108(2):271-9.

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