Healthy Living & Prevention in El Paso

Breadcrumbs

Fight UV Rays with a fork!

Fight UV Rays with a fork!

09 Jul 2025 by Ted Escobedo   1 min read

While not a substitute for sun safety or sunscreen, some foods can help protect your skin from sun damage due to their antioxidant and other protective properties. Foods rich in lycopene, beta-carotene, and antioxidants can offer an extra layer of defense against UV rays.
Foods that offer UV protection are:
• Tomatoes: Contain lycopene, an antioxidant that can help protect against sunburn.
• Watermelon: Also rich in lycopene, offering similar benefits to tomatoes.
• Carrots: Beta-carotene in carrots helps protect skin from UV damage.
• Sweet potatoes: Like carrots, they contain beta-carotene, which can act as a natural sunblock.
• Berries (like blueberries, raspberries, etc.): Contain antioxidants that can help protect against sun damage, according to Real Simple.
• Salmon and Walnuts: Contain omega-3 fatty acids and astaxanthin (in salmon), which may help reduce inflammation from sunburn and protect against UV damage.
• Avocados: High in vitamins E and C, which are beneficial for skin protection.
• Leafy Greens (Spinach, Kale, etc.): Rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which can help protect eyes from harmful light.
• Nuts and Seeds: Particularly those high in omega-3s, can help maintain skin integrity.
• Bell Peppers: Contain vitamins C, E, and A, which can help limit the damage caused by UV exposure.

About Us

Living a healthier life is a goal that we all strive for but often need encouragement accomplishing. Keeping track of nutrition, exercise, inner happiness and the latest healthy living information may be a time-consuming task. Having some friendly advice at your disposal, whenever and wherever you need it, makes it easier and more fun. With just a click, good2knowelpaso.org is filled with tips, tricks, recipes and personal stories that will inspire you on your journey to wellness. We strive to offer you information and advice that you can immediately incorporate into your life. Think of us as your source for intel on living well!

Good2knowelpaso.org is an initiative of the Rio Grande Cancer Foundation

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date with the latest blog posts!

Contact Us

Rio Grande Cancer Foundation
616 N. Virginia St., Ste D
El Paso, TX 79902


Phone: (915) 562-7660
Email: