5 Plant-Based Foods That Boost Your Natural Skin Defenses

As with almost everything, there are positive and negative aspects of sun exposure. Those warm and welcoming rays have been shown to boost your mood and are the best source of vitamin D. With that said, sun exposure ups the risk for long-term health issues, such as skin cancer, and short-term problems including sunburn, dehydration, and chronic dry eye syndrome. While the benefits of sun exposure should be considered, it’s just as important to understand and protect yourself from the dangers.

Skin-Related Dangers of Sun Exposure

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Get out and enjoy the sun this summer! Yet, do so with knowledge and proper protection. The most prevalent dangers from ultraviolet rays affect the health of your skin. From depreciation of skin integrity to incredibly dangerous skin cancers, knowing the dangers is the first step to preventing overexposure to the sun this summer.

Skin Cancer

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The number one danger from unprotected sun exposure is skin cancer. While research has shown that genetics plays a large role in melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, the second non-genetic risk factor is exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). With that said, there is a delicate balance to UVR exposure. Per the US National Library of Medicine, protected sun exposure can lead to a decreased risk of melanoma, while sunburns actually double your risk. Therefore, healthy sun exposure is all dependent on proper protection.

Wrinkles and Age Spots

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While this may seem like a simple issue of cultural vanity, having strong and youthful skin into old age is actually an important health benefit as well. Sagging, delicate, and folded skin rips and bruises much easier and can take a much longer time to heal. Bronzed skin may have a strong and healthy appearance in your twenties and thirties, but in reality, ultraviolet rays break down the essential elastin fibers in the skin. Elastin keeps skin from sagging and stretching, while also providing the key ingredient for your skin to “un-stretch.”

Vitamin D

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One of the most frustrating and challenging issues that arise from sun exposure is balance. Too little sun exposure and you risk a vitamin D deficiency, which may lead to a wide array of diseases and disorders. This particular vitamin plays a uniquely vital role in the body due to the fact that it acts like a hormone and is created by cholesterol from sun exposure.

Vitamin D has many health benefits including increased healthy bones via promotion of calcium absorption, lower blood pressure, and an increased risk of “type 1 diabetes, muscle and bone pain, and, perhaps more serious, cancers of the breast, colon, prostate, ovaries, esophagus, and lymphatic system.” While the government recommends a daily intake of 200 IU (International Unit) of vitamin D for those under 50 and 400 IU for those over 50 through 70, researchers and scientist recommend a higher dose of 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily.

How Plants Can Help Protect Your Skin

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There are many ways to protect your skin from overexposure to the sun. Clothing such as hats, sunglasses, and long shirts and Pants are incredibly effective. You can even find clothing with a UV protection rating these days! There is also a plethora of sunscreen options available at your local drug store. With that said, what you put in your body can also boost your natural skin protectants.

The first line of defense is protection against cancers. This can be done by upping your intake of antioxidants such as omega fatty acids and antioxidants. These plant-based foods help to fight damage caused by free radicals, which have been shown to lead to cancer. Secondly, is to boost the robustness and health of your skin. This can be done by ingesting oils such as coconut, sesame, and borage. You can also apply coconut and olive oils directly to your skin for a 20 percent increase in sun protection! Lastly, make sure to get your vitamins! Vitamin E has been shown to protect the skin from the sun while also reducing wrinkles.

5 Plant-Based Foods to Boost Your Natural Skin Protection

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Unprotected sun exposure is truly unavoidable and therefore it’s important to give your skin a helping hand from the inside out. Plant-based foods are a great source of cancer-fighting and skin protecting vitamins and minerals. From antioxidant powerhouses such as cruciferous veggies to polyphenols-packed greens, plant-based foods are a great way to protect your skin in the moment and for the future.

1. Green Tea

Iced Matcha Green Tea Frappe With Coconut Whip/One Green Planet

Green Tea is truly the number one ingredient for boosting your natural skin protection. This is due to the high levels of plant polyphenols, plant metabolites attributed to UV protection, in green tea. The specific plant polyphenols in green tea have significant amounts of antioxidants, along with other skin protection effects.  Green Tea is also a super simple and diverse ingredient in the kitchen! Try a few of these green tea-based recipes: Matcha Green Tea, Miso Green Tea and Ginger Zoodle Soup With Tofu, Green Tea Soba Noodles With Roasted Vegetables and Herbs, or these Raw Pistachio and Matcha Truffles.

2. Cruciferous Veggies

Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Chickpeas, Kale, Sprouts and Seeds/One Green Planet

It’s no secret that cruciferous vegetables are a superfood. These hearty veggies — such as kale, cauliflower, and broccoli — are pack full of an array of vitamins and minerals that are essential for a balanced diet. On top of the already stellar reputation, cruciferous veggies also have sun protective qualities. Protection via these veggies is two-fold. First, they are packed full of antioxidants that help prevent cancer. Secondly, and more specifically, broccoli sprouts contain sulforaphane, which has been linked to the “skins ability to protect itself against cancers.”

Cruciferous veggies are a great filler item for plant-based dieters. Try a few of these hearty recipes: Crustless Quinoa Quiche, Broccoli and Shiitake Stir-Fry, Leek and Broccoli Flan, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Chickpeas, Kale, Sprouts, and Seeds, or this Teriyaki-Style Roasted Cauliflower.

3. Dark Leafy Greens and Herbs

Spring Salad With Cilantro Tahini Dressing/One Green Planet

Much like cruciferous veggies, dark leafy greens and herbs, provide skin protection via their free-radical fighting antioxidant properties. On top of that, greens also have high levels of polyphenols and carotenoids, which protect from the outside in via sun protectant barriers. Beef up your dark leafy green and herbal intake via hearty salads such as this Spring Salad With Cilantro Tahini Dressing, Spinach Salad With Barley Bacon, or this spinach heavy Pear Salad With Crispy Chickpea Croutons.

4. Orange and Red Fruits and Veggies

Turkish Tomato, Bulgar, and Red Pepper Soup/One Green Planet

Carotenoids are incredibly important phytonutrients that cause the beautiful and rich orange, yellow, and red coloring in plants. They help antioxidants deactivate free radicals, are transformed into Vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision and growth, and they have anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the more carotenoids you have in your diet the healthier you are all around. Try a few of these brightly colored, carotenoid-filled recipes: Carrot Bulgar Porridge, Bell Pepper Smoked ‘Salmon’, Turkish Tomato, Bulgar, and Red Pepper Soup, or this Sweet Potato Carrot Coconut Thai Soup.    

5. Citrus Fruit

Breakfast Bowl With Oats, Pistachios, and Grapefruit/One Green Planet

Warm weather is also a great time to incorporate fresh fruit into your daily regimen. While fruit offers a plethora of vitamins and minerals, when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun, it’s the vitamin C that you’ll be focusing on. Vitamin C plays many vital roles in overall health. When it comes to your skin, vitamin C provides antioxidants that protect the skin from UV-induced photodamage.

Incorporating citrus fruits into your daily diet is incredibly easy! Start out your day with some fiber-full grapefruit, such as this Breakfast Bowl With Oats, Pistachios, and Grapefruit, rejuvenate at lunch with this Ginger Citrus Tofu Salad With Buckwheat Soba Noodles, and end the day with a tasty, light, and citrus-thick desert such as this Raw Lemon Kiwi Cream Pie.   

In order to bulk your diet with skin protectant recipes, we highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 10,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to new recipes every day. Check it out!

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