Omega-3s May Protect Skin From UV Damage

By Kelly Turner on July 27th, 2009

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We all know to slather on sun screen, wear big, floppy, Kentucky Derpy-esque hats and sunglasses to protect our skin from the sun, but new research shows that you can also protect your skin from the inside out. Covering up your skin may just be as important as what you are putting inside of your body to protect it.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (ACJN) just published a study that found eating seafood may help protect your skin for UV dangers. In a group of more than 1,100 Australian adults, those that ate the most fish, at least one serving (4 and 5 ounces) every five days decreased pre-cancerous skin spot development by nearly 30 percent.

So what makes seafood so special? Its all about those Omega-3s. The omega-3s found in fish may protect against inflammation, which is why we know it eat them to protect our heart, and the vitamin D in fish helps regulate cell growth.

This is good news for those of you that love fish. Cans of tuna are a perfect source of Omega-3s: they are easily portable, cheap and don’t involve any cooking. For you with sophisticated tastes, salmon, cod and halibut are also fantastic sources.

Try these recipes to satisfy your appetite and protect your skin:

Tortellini Tuna Salad
Hickory Smoked Tuna Quesadillas
Mediterranean Salmon Salad

For those of you who don’t like fish, are pregnant* or are allergic to seafood, you can always take an Omega-3 supplement. Fish Oil supplements always get a bad wrap for giving you fishy tasting burps, but I personally take CardioTabs Omega-3s that are lemon flavored, so there are no embarrassing, I think I might throw up, fishy tasting burps. I can honestly say I’ve never experienced what a fish burp tastes like, and I’m pretty confident I never will.

Fish is always a part of a healthy, balanced diet, but now it can make you look great on the outside, too. Protect your skin, and your health, by incorporating fish into your healthy diet.

*Always ask your doctor before taking ANYTHING when you are pregnant. Even a bath! BA-DUM-DUM!!