The sun is one of your skin’s worst enemies. Its UV rays cause premature aging, hyperpigmentation, and various other problems.

Photofacial rejuvenation is a great way to eliminate the problems caused by the sun, but you can also help your skin by eating more tomatoes.

Researchers at Newcastle University and Manchester University have found that a diet rich in tomatoes can help protect the skin against the damage caused by UV rays.

In the study, 10 volunteers were asked to eat five tablespoons (55g) of tomato paste a day. After 3 months, the volunteers had a 33% increase in protection against sunburns. Plus, their procollagen levels were boosted significantly.

They found that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, was what helped the skin. Further research is being done to prove the protective benefits of lycopene.

But don’t think this should be your only protection against the sun – researchers say sunblock should still be used.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 13th, 2009 at 9:18 am and is filed under General Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.