A glass of wine can help protect your skin from sunburn and even skin cancer, say Spanish researchers. The University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council found that substances in grapes called flavonoids protect the skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun cause premature aging of the skin as well as sunburn and skin cancer. When skin is exposed to UV rays, compounds called reactive oxygen species (ROS) start a chemical process that damages cells and eventually causes them to die. Flavonoids extracted from grapes can reduce the formation of ROSs in human skin.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, supports the use of grapes or grape derivatives in skincare and sun protection products. Although some cosmetics and drugs containing grape products are already commercially available, scientists didn’t understand until now how the grape compounds worked in cells.
“This study supports the idea of using these products to protect the skin from cell damage and death caused by solar radiation, as well as increasing our understanding of the mechanism by which they act,” Marta Cascante, director of the research project, said in a press release.
The Spanish research is the latest in a long line of studies that supports the healthful advantages of the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish along with olive oil and a moderate amount of red wine. Previous studies, for instance, have shown that the lycopene in tomatoes, which are a staple of the diet, also protects the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, and may also even reverse some of the damage caused by UV radiation.
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