Applying sunscreen onto your skin is a great way to protect it from damage caused by ultraviolet light and ultimately avoiding skin cancer. However, a new study suggests that you can get the same protection level by regularly consuming grapes.
University of Alabama researchers came to the juicy conclusion after conducting a study designed to determine how eating grapes affected the Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) study participants. MED refers to the UV radiation threshold that a person’s skin can withstand. Once the limit is exceeded, the skin turns red, leading to sunburn. Study participants were required to eat whole grape powder every day for two weeks as part of the research.
The study researchers found that individuals who consumed a daily dose of grape powder equivalent to 2.25 cups of grapes per day experienced a 74.8 percent increase in their MED levels. Researchers also conducted biopsies to study the benefits at a deeper level. They found that regularly consuming grapes significantly reduced DNA damage caused by the skin’s exposure to ultraviolet light. It also reduces the amount of dead skin cells and subsequently lowers skin cell inflammation.
The researchers concluded that consuming grapes and subsequently increasing the MED levels in the skin counteracts the damaging effects of UV light linked to skin cancer. The American Cancer Society classifies skin cancer as one of the most common cancer types, largely due to UV light radiation. 9 out of every 10 melanoma cases are linked to too much exposure to the sun.
“We saw a significant photoprotective effect with grape consumption and we were able to identify molecular pathways by which that benefit occurs,” stated Dr. Craig Elmets, the lead investigator in the study.
Dr. Elmets further explained that consuming grapes facilitates the repair of damaged DNA on the skin and contributes to proinflammatory pathway downregulation. He also described grapes as edible sunscreen because they provide an extra protective layer similar to that offered by topical application of sunscreen. Eating grapes every day is now a scientifically proven way of protecting your skin from UV damage.