New Study Shows Grapes Can Act As Edible Sunscreen

According to researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, this popular purple fruit may be able to protect your skin from UV damage and skin cancer.

According to data released by the California Table Grape Commission, eating over two cups of grapes a day can increase your resistance to sunburn by almost 75%. The research team examined how eating grape powder daily for two week’s impacted a participant’s threshold for UV radiation within a 24 hour time period. Once a person’s UV radiation limit is reached, their skin becomes red and may result in a sunburn.

Researchers took biopsies from participants during this time to see how their skin was responding on a molecular level. They found that a grape diet can decrease the DNA damage UV exposure causes, including reducing inflammation and lowering the number of dead skin cells.

The factors above tie directly into the development of one of the most common type of cancer, skin cancer. Almost 90% of cases of melanoma are due to too much sun exposure.

While regular grape juice won’t cut it, this small fruit is packed with vitamins and antioxidants that will help boost your immune system. Increased vitamin C and vitamin K, as well as antioxidant compounds may decrease your risk of developing chronic diseases when ingested.

If grapes aren’t your thing, healthcare experts recommend wearing at least a 30 SPF sunscreen if you’ll be out in the sun all day. You can choose a mineral sunscreen or a chemical sunscreen, but by choosing one with a 30 SPF rating, you’ll be able to block about 97% of UV light.

Although it may be difficult to add 2 whole cups of grapes into your daily routine, incorporating grapes into your diet might be worth the health benefits after all.