Turn Up Your Internal Sunscreen by Eating This Delicious Nut

Protecting your skin from excess sun exposure starts with eating right. This crunchy nut does wonders for just that, warding off damage from UV light while reducing wrinkles and much more

Looking for a natural way to boost your skin's resistance to sun damage? Try a handful of crunchy almonds. These tree nuts -- the most widely produced variety worldwide^[i] -- are already considered a healthy, nutrient-dense snack due to their rich content of monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, flavonoids and phenolics.

A study on mice also found applying almond oil topically helped reduce some photoaging of the skin when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.^[ii] The same occurred when almond oil was applied to an in vitro model of human skin.^[iii],[iv] However, eating this tasty treat also enhanced the skin's ability to ward off damage from UV light, offering a simple way to turn up your body's internal sunscreen.

Eating Almonds for 12 Weeks Enhanced Skin's Sun Protection

In a study of 39 Asian women, one group consumed 1.5 ounces of almonds daily for 12 weeks while the other group consumed 1.8 ounces of pretzels. Dermatologists evaluated facial skin texture during the study, finding that the minimal erythema dose (MED) increased in those consuming almonds compared to those eating pretzels.

MED refers to the lowest dose of UVB radiation needed to produce a pink color on the skin. "The lowest dose and time of the occurrence of pink color were determined and used as MED," the researchers, with the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, explained.^[v]

Those eating almonds enjoyed improved resistance to UVB exposure, as higher doses of UVB and longer exposure times were needed in order to turn the skin on their inner arm pink. The study "provides the first clinical evidence that oral intake of almonds can protect against UVB radiation."^[vi]

Eating almonds increased UVB-induced MED by an impressive 20%. It's likely that almonds' concentrated nutrition plays a role in their ability to help protect skin from the sun. The team explained:^[vii]

"[G]iven the fact that almonds are rich in mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, quercetin, and other phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, daily consumption of almonds may improve the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory capacity of human skin, which could be responsible for the increased photoprotection against UVB radiation, since UVB radiation is known to induce cellular DNA damage through an oxidative stress response."

While conventional dermatologists and health officials often focus on topical sunscreens to protect the skin from sun damage, the importance of healthy diet is often overlooked. What you eat, however, plays a major role in the health of your skin and its ability to ward off damage from external stressors like overexposure to the sun, pollutants and more.

It's not only almonds that offer this protective effect. The team previously found, for instance, that pomegranate juice -- another antioxidant powerhouse -- also helps protect skin from UVB damage.^[viii] You can learn about 156 more naturally photoprotective substances -- like astaxanthin, cocoa and quercetin -- at our GreenMedInfo.com photoprotective research database.

Almonds Reduce Skin Wrinkles, Too

Need another excuse to indulge in almonds daily? In addition to bolstering your internal sunscreen, these health-boosting nuts also benefit your skin's appearance. A study of postmenopausal women investigated the effects of consuming almonds -- at an amount equal to 20% of daily caloric intake (about 59 grams, or just over 1/2 cup) -- for 16 weeks compared to another calorie-matched snack.^[ix]

Using photographic analysis, it was shown that the almond group had significantly decreased wrinkle severity compared to the other snack group. These "natural antiaging benefits" could be due to the approximately 12.5 milligrams of vitamin E (alpha‐tocopherol) in every 50 grams of almonds.

Consuming alpha‐tocopherol via your diet increases skin concentrations of vitamin E in a way that doesn't occur by consuming synthetic vitamin E.^[x] In the skin, vitamin E may help prevent collagen degradation. The plant-based omega-3 fats in almonds may also benefit skin health, as they've been found to reduce signs of photoaging, or premature skin aging caused by excess sun exposure.^[xi]

More Reasons to Enjoy Almonds

When you eat almonds, it's not only your skin that benefits. Eating 1 ounce of almonds gives you a comparable amount of polyphenols as drinking a cup of green tea or munching on 1 cup of broccoli.^[xii],[xiii] Almonds are also revered for their role in heart health, particularly boosting cardiometabolic health via lipid-lowering and antihypertensive effects.^[xiv]

Even eating almonds two or more times a week may lower risk of heart disease by 13% to 19% and risk of coronary heart disease by 15% to 23%.^[xv] Further, eating nuts like almonds helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress while decreasing insulin resistance. They also contain polymerized polyphenols, which "provide a substrate for gut microbiota" and may benefit gut health via prebiotic effects and antimicrobial activities.^[xvi]

To learn more about the lesser-known benefits of almonds, browse our almond research database. It lists 58 diseases that almonds may help, along with nearly two dozen pharmacological actions. Whether you're interested in protecting your skin from sun damage, bolstering your heart health or simply getting healthier overall, this is one natural snack to add to your regular rotation.