Lowering our risk of skin cancer doesn’t just involve slathering on sunscreen before a day out in the such, but it also involves what we eat. Studies have shown that those individuals who consume more fruits and vegetables have only half the incidence of skin cancer, whereas those individuals who consume meals that are high in meat and fat have twice the risk. There are a few so-called “superfoods†that have been shown to pack and extra punch, as well as make a great addition to your beach picnics.
10 Superfoods for Skin Cancer Prevention:
- Artichokes: high in silymarin, an antioxidant that has been shown to slow the growth of melanoma cells in mice.
- Green tea: Epigallocatechin -3- gallate (EGCG), one of the components of green tea, has been show to protect the skin of rodents from UV damage.
- Fish: Omega -3- fatty acids found in fish appear to offer protection against non-melanoma skin cancer.
- Grapes: Proanthocyanidins, which are present in grapes seeds, have been shown to prevent photocarcinogenesis (cancer caused by sun exposure).
- Broccoli sprouts: Sulforaphane, which is high in broccoli and especially broccoli sprouts, was shown to substantially inhibit UV induced skin cancer in mice.
- Berries: high in ellagic acid, which appears to have anti-tumor properties in rat skin.
- Pomegranate juice: a juice extract of pomegranates was shown to protect against UV damage on a molecular level.
- Carrots: Foods that are high in beta-carotene appear to have a protective role against skin cancer.
- Spinach: high in lutein/zeaxanthin, which has been shown to reduce UV induced skin cancer in mice when consumed dietarily.
- Pineapple: consists bromelain, a compound shown to decrease cancer in animals.Â
