Foods that help you tan more quickly

During the summer it is very common to sunbathe to get a nice tan. However, this can be dangerous, because in order to get a tan you have to expose yourself to the sun’s rays for a prolonged period of time.

To get a beautiful, healthy and long-lastingtan it is important to eat foods that speed up the tanning process and help your skin to stay bronzed for longer. However, it is just as important – if not more so – to use UV protection to avoid the harmful effects of the sun’s rays.

If you want a better tan you should includefruits and vegetables in your diet, as they are rich in beta-carotene, vitamins and antioxidants; vitamin A helps protect you from the sun’s rays, beta-carotene is responsible for increasing melanin production, which is the pigment that gives skin its colour, and vitamins B and C help to care for your skin because of their powerful antioxidant properties.

Foods that help you tan more quickly

Of the wide range of fruits and vegetables available, the following are best for improving your tan:

• Peaches, because as well as being high in beta-carotene, they also contain vitamins A, B and C.
• Carrots are the ultimate ‘tanning’ vegetable. They are high in beta-carotenes.
• Watermelons, which provide water and antioxidant vitamins that keep the skin hydrated,promote tanning, and help to combat oxidative damage from the sun’s rays.
• Tomatoes. These contain a lot of lycopene, a type of carotenoid which, as well as helping you tan more quickly, promotes vitamin A absorption and helps to prevent certain cardiovascular diseases.
• Mangos, which contain fibre, beta-carotene, and vitamins A and C.
• Pumpkins, which are rich in beta-carotene, fibre, vitamins A, B and C, etc., as well as having a diuretic effect that helps to combat fluid retention.
• Spinach, which, in addition to vitamin A, contains a lot of calcium and potassium.
• Cherries, which promote melanin production in the skin and are rich in lycopene.
• Avocados. This fruit is rich in vitamin E, so it helps to strengthen your skin from within and prevent sunburn.