What are some effective natural sunscreen foods and supplements?

Today, I will introduce to you the natural "sunscreen" around us. They are not only delicious, but also have the effects of sun protection, whitening and anti-aging. Let's use delicious food to protect the health and beauty of our skin!

Benefits of foods and supplements rich in carotene

Carotenoids are a class of natural pigments that are particularly widespread in nature and can be divided into two categories, one is carotene and the other is lutein. Carotenoids are a group of fat-soluble compounds ranging in color from red to yellow. They play a protective role in plants and can resist damage caused by photosynthesis, a process that converts light energy into chemical energy.
The photosynthesis process can produce a variety of highly reactive compounds; without carotenoids, plants may be completely destroyed in the process.
Currently, more than 400 types of carotene have been identified, but only about 30 to 50 can be called "provitamin A carotene" because these types of carotene can be converted into vitamin A in the body.
Traditionally, the biological effects of carotene are based on their corresponding vitamin A activity. Because beta-carotene has higher provitamin A activity than other carotenes, it is considered to be particularly potent in terms of biological activity. However, a number of studies have shown that various carotenes that are not converted to vitamin A in the body, such as lutein, lycopene, and astaxanthin, may exhibit more potent biological activity. Unlike vitamin A, which is primarily stored in the liver, carotenes are primarily stored in the skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and urinary tract linings, fat cells, and other organs. Once incorporated into the skin, carotenes may provide significant protection from the sun. Beta-carotene is a standard in the treatment of photosensitive diseases. To increase carotene levels in the body through a healthy diet, focus on dark green leafy vegetables (such as kale, collard greens, and spinach) and orange-yellow fruits and vegetables (such as apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, Chinese yam, and pumpkin). Try to eat two to three servings of carotenoid-rich foods per day (1 cup raw plus 0.5 cup cooked). However, the best choice for carotenoid supplementation and sun damage protection may be astaxanthin, which is known as the "king of carotenoids." Compared with other carotenoids, astaxanthin can accumulate in the skin more significantly to protect the skin from the sun.

Benefits of Green Drinks

Another reliable way to increase dietary intake of carotene is to drink "green drinks." This refers to some commercially available products that contain dehydrated carotene, such as barley grass, wheat grass, or algae sources such as chlorella or spirulina.
These products are easily rehydrated by simply mixing with water or juice. Green drinks are rich in some phytochemicals that may be particularly beneficial to health, including carotenes and natural fat-soluble chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a green pigment used in photosynthesis, which converts light energy into chemical energy in plants, algae and some microorganisms.
Regularly adding green drinks and fresh green vegetable juices to your daily diet can quickly enhance your intake of carotene and other important phytochemicals, which are often insufficient in modern diets.

Benefits of Pearl Tomato Extract

Pearl Tomato Extract is derived from the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), an annual herbaceous plant of the Solanaceae family. The colorless carotene molecules phytoene and phytoene contained in Pearl Tomato Extract may have significant health benefits, including protection against sun damage.
Phytoene and phytoene are found in the precursors of all colored carotenes, including lycopene, the red carotene in red tomatoes. Although colorless, phytoene and phytoene are just as effective as colored carotenes in protecting against oxidation, if not more so.
Oral administration of Pearl Tomato Extract allows phytoene and phytoene to be absorbed into cells throughout the body, providing protective effects, including to the skin. Phytoene and phytoene may be three to five times more bioavailable (absorbed) than lycopene and beta-carotene. Many of the health benefits traditionally attributed to lycopene may now be attributed to phytoene and phytoene.
One important use of pearl tomato extract is to strengthen the skin's inherent sun protection, including protection against the sun's rays and repairing the skin barrier.
In addition, pearl tomato extract may help improve facial pigmentation. Facial pigmentation is a type of brown spot on the face that occurs due to sun exposure or hormonal changes during pregnancy.
Pearl tomato extract may help properly repair pigmentation, tone skin tone, nourish skin texture, and hydrate skin, thereby alleviating dryness and roughness.

Benefits of Polypodium Leucotomos Leaf Extract

Polypodium Leucotomos is a fern native to Central and South America. Rich in antioxidant defense compounds, Polypodium Leucotomos leaf extract has been shown to benefit skin health and soothe sunburn. This plant extract works by strengthening the activity of the skin cell's antioxidant defense system, thereby slowing down inflammation and healing damage. Three clinical trials involving healthy adult subjects showed that Polypodium vulgare leaf extract can be safely taken at a dose of 240 mg twice daily and is effective in reducing sun damage. This plant extract may also be beneficial for facial pigmentation.
Two other clinical studies have shown that Polypodium vulgare leaf extract may have a beneficial effect on patients with polymorphic light eruption (PLE). PLE is an itchy or burning rash that usually appears within hours or 3 days of sun exposure and can last up to two weeks. Two studies of Polypodium vulgare leaf extract showed that in controlled studies, most subjects had significant reductions in PLE skin reactions when taking 480 to 1200 mg daily.

Benefits of Flavanols in Cocoa

The beneficial effects of plant flavonoids in optimizing skin health should not be underestimated.The flavanols found in cocoa and cocoa products are particularly beneficial in protecting the skin from sun damage. Numerous experimental studies have shown that cocoa products rich in flavanols may help protect the skin from the sun. In a human study, consuming 4-6 grams of high-flavanol cocoa powder per day for a week may have an effective effect on skin sun protection. However, oral supplementation of only 1 gram of high-flavanol cocoa powder per day seems to be less effective.

These foods and supplements help reduce UV damage to the skin and enhance the skin's self-repair ability by providing nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins and fatty acids. A reasonable diet can help improve the overall skin's protection ability and reduce UV damage to the skin.