Tahsin Rahman Oshin
Every day, before the scorching hot sun starts shining up above our heads, we rush to get our sunscreens, protective clothing, shades, umbrellas and every form of defense available before we step out of the house. Therefore, thousand different kinds of sun creams, sprays etc have gained wide popularity, especially in tropical countries such as ours. The right foodstuffs help strengthen your UV defenses and provide healing from both outside and inside. Here are some foods that will superbly build up your skin to form its own shield.
Carrots: Carrots help in maintaining a healthy skin because of the antioxidants they provide. They assist in fighting off the free radicals that cause damage to skin with the agents of beta-carotene in them. So, eating carrots in either raw juice or cooked forms supply your body with enough beta-carotenes to look after your skin. Beta-carotenes also protect your skin from dangerous UV radiation by shielding your skin form excessive UV rays and sunburns. It is recommended that you include carrots as your daily diet, but do not replace it with sunscreens. It is more like an added shield that aids your sunscreen in giving more protection.
Broccoli: Broccoli contains high levels of polyphenols- a plant based compound that aids in regulating oxidative stress, strengthens up your immune system and prevents inflammation. The broccoli sprouts are also known to aid in fighting cancer. Sulphorane, another strong component in broccoli, supports the skin defense system and stops unwanted growth of cells resulting from UV radiation.
Green Tea: You only need 2 cups of green tea per day. The chemicals present in green tea, catechins, protect the skin significantly from UV rays. It also has antioxidants that we have heard of a lot. Antioxidants help maintain the softness of skin and an even tone. It also aids in dealing with rashes and redness after harsh exposure to UV rays. These are some of the reasons why many sunscreens use green tea as one of the main ingredients.
Sweet Potatoes: Vitamin C in the vegetable sweet potatoes is an important antioxidant and when included in your diet, it protects your skin from UV rays. Sweet potatoes have a high concentration of beta-carotenes, which promotes synthesis of hyaluronic acid in your body- a naturally made unique protein inside your body. This protein helps your skin look younger and makes it softer. It also aids the body in producing a powerful anti-wrinkle substance as the body ages with time. Sweet potatoes come in many varieties of colors which you can choose from such as pink, orange, yellow, etc
Almond oil: Almond oil is rich in vitamins E and B as well as other minerals that protects the skin from UV rays and makes it supple and smooth. It has a high level of antioxidants. It aids in building omega 6 and nine other fatty acids that promote cell development and strengthens immune system. Almond oil can be derived from seeds which you can chew on and almond milk which is an extract from almond seeds.
Tahsin Rahman Oshin is a feature writer at the Daily Our Time who has a passion for performing arts and fashion. She is a high school graduate, loves cats and plans to build an animal shelter in future.