Protecting Skin With "Edible Sunscreen"

Dr. Jennifer Ashton: Watermelon And Orange Peels Can Help Protect Skin, But Limes Can Make It More Sensitive

(CBS)  In today's Healthwatch: foods that could protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays this summer. What should you eat? And what can make you more sensitive to sunburns?

CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton gave advice on some foods that can protect us from the sun.

According to Ashton, we should eat watermelon.

"Actually this is something we as doctors took a lesson from our colleagues who are nutritionists who have known this for quite some time," she said. "It's very high in an antioxidant known as lycopene. It has 40 percent of that substance more than tomatoes, which we know has a lot of it. Eating this can in fact reduce your risk of sunburn and sun damage."

Green tea, which Ashton offers to her patients while they wait in her office, is more about reversing sun damage.

"Exactly, this works by scavenging the free radicals that cause that oxidative damage," Ashton explained. "You need two to three cups a day and it actually works from the inside out preventing sun damage."

Although it may not be the most enticing food to eat, orange peels can be grated into your salad or salsa, Ashton suggests.

"We have to kind of dress it up a little," she said. "Put it in yogurt or on top of a muffin. One teaspoon a week has been shown to cut the chance of squamous cell skin cancer by 30 percent. You could learn to like it for that number."

Ashton points out that here have been studies about this - not only conducted with people, but animals as well.

Cold water fish, including sardines and salmon, which have Omega-3 oils, are also good for antioxidants, Ashton says.

"It works from the inside out to really reduce the chances of skin damage, inflammation due to sunburn and potentially skin cancer," she said.

What can make us extra-sensitive to the sun?

According to Ashton, lime juice or celery may cause temporary darkening of the skin contact area when in the sun.

"So a lot of us around the beach, pool, lake are drinking margaritas. Limes are everywhere. If you get the oil from the peel as well as the juice on your skin as well as celery, you can become more sensitive to the effects of the sun and increase your chance of sunburn," Ashton explained.

[James4661]

Just a simple question on the video the Dr stated to have 3-4 cups of hot green tea a day, is it important the tea is hot when being drank? I enjoy at this time a year iced green tea and want to know if i get the same advantage as drinking it hot

[sam-kiley]

bonjour,
trés interessants ces conseils, je préfére et de loin des produits naturels pour se protéger, du soleil, ça nous changera de tous ces produits chimiques et leurs effets
indésirables, a vos pastéques..!!!
merci docteur ashton..
au revoir..