HEALTH SPECIAL..Stay On The Sunny Side

Stay On The Sunny Side

Fear the sun’s power to cause ageing? These five foods can be your saviour

TO LOOK gorgeous on the outside, you have to nourish your beauty from inside, which means eating lots of good stuff. And in summer, the right platefuls can be handy in combating the devastating effect ultraviolet (UV) radiation has on the skin.

ADD TO YOUR DIET: Spread ripe avocados on bread as a healthy replacement for mayo when making a sandwich; make a salad by combining sliced avocado with oranges and mint; use chopped avocados as a garnish for soups. MCT

So load foods loaded with antioxidants – the cellular warriors that fight skin ageing caused by the sun – on to your plates.
GREEN TEA
There’s a particularly potent antioxidant known as EGCG that does all kinds of good things for the skin and the best place to find it is tea. EGCG puts a damper on inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related ageing. A study published in the Archives of Dermatology shows that whether taken orally or applied to the skin, green tea can reduce the risk of damage from UV
light, and also reduce the risk of skin cancer. Plus green tea contains L-theanine, a de-tensing amino acid and anything you can do to staunch the flow of the stress hormone cortisol helps keep collagen fibres intact.
AVOCADOS
Eaten in moderation, the monounsaturated fats of avocado will net you smooth skin. In fact, avocados contain the most potent anti-ageing combination – Vitamins E and C – which mops up ageing free radicals. Enjoying a few slices in your tossed salad will add flavour and increase your body’s ability to absorb carotenoids that most
vegetables provide (carotenoids play an important part in protecting skin from sun damage as they decrease sensitivity to its rays; found in carrots, spinach, apricots, sweet potato, watermelon, tomatoes).
WHOLEGRAINS
Wholegrain foods are rich in fibre, and keep your digestion humming along. This translates into skin that radiates health. Wholegrains are rich in B vitamins (such as B2 and B3), which help maintain normal skin function, and are loaded with zinc, which assists in maintaining elastin fibres and collagen to promote firmer skin. Best of all, going ‘whole’ gives a selenium boost to the diet, a mineral antioxidant that helps minimise the damage of UV light.
ADD TO YOUR DIET: Eat oats or wholegrain cold cereal; use wholewheat bread for toast and sandwiches; switch to wholewheat pasta and opt for brown rice. Sprinkling wheat germ on to yoghurt and cereals is a great idea too.
BROCCOLI
Broccoli are loaded with sulforaphane, a compound known for anti-cancer properties. This also protects skin from sun damage as it increases production of protective enzymes.
ADD TO YOUR DIET: Add steamed broccoli florets to salads and pasta; purée cooked broccoli and add to soups; steamed florets can be added to omelettes.
FISH

When it comes to foods that pack a beauty punch, it’s hard to beat salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, these high-quality protein sources are filled with vitamin B-12 and iron. Omega-3s fight inflammation, considered one of the top skin agers, and protect against sunburn. Plus, fish is high in vitamin D, which is great for skin. Even fish oil containing the omega-3 essential fatty acid EPA helps to prevent wrinkles.

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