Eat more carrots

It’s not by chance that beta-carotene is the main ingredient in food supplements recommended for sunbathers. This substance, which the body converts into vitamin A, is beneficial in many ways. For instance, it protects us from free radicals and improves the skin’s ability to renew itself.

Beware of singlet oxygen

The sun’s ultraviolet rays cause oxidation in the body and thus greatly increase the number of free radicals, which are responsible for ageing and contribute to some kinds of skin cancer. Singlet oxygen is a prime example of how destructive free radicals can be: it dries the skin, harms the cell walls, damages the connective tissue and collagen. and even creates molecules capable of suppressing the body’s immune system. Before exposing the skin to the sun, you need to provide it with protection against these damaging effects. Nature offers the ideal protection: beta-carotene. This nutrient provides us with a defence against free radicals and stimulates the skin’s capacity to repair itself more quickly and effectively after the damage done by the sun’s rays.

Apricots, melons, spinach, tomatoes

As its indicates, beta-carotene is found in large quantities in carrots. It is a vitamin A precursor: in other words, the cells lining the intestines split beta-carotene to form vitamin A. Just enough of the vitamin is produced to meet the body’s needs and no more, so there’s no risk of overdosing: you can eat as many carrots as you like. The only side effect that comes when you eat them in vast quantities is that they can give a yellow tinge to the skin. Beta-carotene is also found in all orange-coloured fruits and vegetables, such as apricots, pumpkins and melons, as well as in tomatoes and some green vegetables, like cabbages, spinach and broccoli.

Did you know?

• We should consume 30 to 50 mg of beta-carotene each day. As there are 8 mg per 100g (4 oz) of carrots, you need to eat 500g (1lb) of carrots every day if that is your only source of vitamin A.
• However, it’s easy to avoid such a monotonous diet. For more variety, try apricots (1.5mg per 100g), spinach (4mg), fresh mangoes (3mg), red pepper (3.5mg) and cabbage (3mg).
• Unlike most vitamins, beta-carotene is absorbed better when carrots are cooked. Steam them with a sprinkling of unrefined oil.

Key Facts

• Solar rays cause an increase in free radicals, which accelerate ageing and can cause cancer.
• Beta-carotene helps protect us from the damaging effects of free radicals.
• We Should consume between 30 to 50 mg of it each day.