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8 Foods to Help Ease Your Sunburn

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Alexandra is a writer and vegan cooking enthusiast with a passion for wellness and plant-based... Read More

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Ouch! Sunburn is no fun, but it’s an inevitable part of summer. If you have pale skin especially, you know just how intense a sunburn can be, even if you spend just a short amount of time outdoors and unprotected. Prevention is the best method to stop the burning of your skin before even heading outside. But there are times when we forget that extra coat of sunscreen after enjoying a beautiful summer day. If you have sunburn, try alleviating it naturally, with plant foods. Plants to the rescue! Here are eight foods that fight sunburn:

Aloe

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You can purchase aloe vera gel at the store and use that to cool your sunburn. Or, buy an aloe vera plant for the direct source; you can find aloe leaves in some grocery stores and farmer’s markets. Break off a leaf and apply the juice to your sunburned skin. Try this trick from Heath911.com: Combine aloe juice with ½ the amount of vitamin E. Dab on the sunburn. Vitamin E is a good moisturizer.

Cucumbers

Cucumber will help cool and soothe that nasty burn; just think how nice it feels when you rest with cucumbers on your eyelids. Cut and mash a cucumber, then apply it to your skin. You can also rub slices over your sunburn.

Potatoes

Potatoes are full of starchy compounds, which help relieve the sting of sunburn. Cut a raw potato into slices, then rub a piece on your sunburn.

Strawberries

These juicy berries contain tannin, which helps reduce the sting of a sunburn. Mash some ripened strawberries and put it directly on your sunburn. After a few minutes, rinse it off.

Green Tea

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Green tea is helpful if you have a burnt face. Just soak two tea bags in cool water and apply them to your aching eyelids. Green tea hastannic acid, which will help ease sunburn pain.

Apple Cider Vinegar

To avoid the painful blistering and peeling that can happen from sunburn, put apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball, then apply to your skin. For other DIY hacks using this ingredient, check out this article.

White Vinegar

White vinegar contains acetic acid, which acts like a tropical nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug. To alleviate the pain of your sunburn, dab some white vinegar onto it.

Pomegranates

Unlike the other foods on this list, it is recommended that you ingest pomegranates to fight sunburn rather than apply it topically. According to a study published by the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, the ellagic acid in pomegranate extract had a protective effect on sunburns when participants took it orally for four weeks. Try this method along with applying some other foods to your skin as well.

Image source: Kal Schrieber/Flickr