WARD OFF skin damage with this ‘red sauce’ secret
If you want to stay youthful well into your “golden years”…
They tell you to go for walks… hit the links… and dig around in the garden.
But what they DON’T tell you is how to keep LOOKING young…
After all that sun exposure!
Well, friend, the good news is that it’s possible to ENJOY the mood-boosting, healing sunshine…
And PROTECT your skin from UV damage… and possibly even skin cancer!
There’s a common food nutrient that can BEAT BACK redness… sun spots… and even crow’s feet and laugh lines!
And if you’ve got a green thumb… you may already have a source of it hiding in your own backyard.
Tomato trick to fight off UV rays
Lycopene is the pigment (a.k.a. carotenoid) that lends a bright red color to tomatoes.
It even gets its name from the science community’s Latin word for tomatoes, Lycopersicum.
It’s not just one of the most cardioprotective nutrients out there…
As I’ve shared with you before, this red-hued substance is also a prostate health hero… and a savior of aging vision.
But today, I’m here to introduce you to the skin benefits of lycopene.
After all, they don’t call it “Mother Nature’s sunscreen” for nothing!
Not only can it protect your EYES from UV damage… keeping vision-robbing conditions like age-related macular degeneration at bay…
But it can ALSO shield your skin.
And not just from sunburn… but also from UV-related damage to your DNA!
Considering the fact that lycopene is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, that comes as no surprise.
Those actions also help contribute to this pigment’s reputation as a powerful ally against cancer – including skin cancer.
But there’s more.
Lycopene can also help REVERSE skin damage… by LIGHTENING discoloration and excess pigmentation.
And even THAT’S not all…
Because lycopene also INHIBITS the enzyme that BREAKS DOWN collagen… a protein building block that’s CRUCIAL to keeping your skin smooth… supple… and wrinkle-free.
Now, you can find tomato-based cosmeticsfor topical use…
But studies show anti-cancer benefits from actually INGESTING lycopene.
Out of all the food sources of lycopene, the most can be found in red tomatoes (not yellow or green).
To BOOST the lycopene content your body can readily use — by as much as 4X – make sure you crush and/or heat them in oil.
Besides cooked tomatoes, your other food options are red peppers (again, cooked, ideally in a healthy oil) and watermelon.
The easiest and most efficient way to get lycopene in a form your body can absorb is by taking a supplement… ideally extracted from non-GMO tomatoes.
You may find it labeled as “tomato carotenoids” or “tomato extract.”
Lycopene doesn’t dissolve in water… so most standardized tomato extracts come encapsulated in some kind of oil or lipid solution.
Look for a soy-free formulation made with oils from alternative sources, like rice bran.
Fortunately, studies have shown that when folks take lycopene supplements, the nutrient does accumulate in the skin… where it can go right to work.
To garden secrets for your skin,
Melissa Young
