Good skin care doesn’t have to mean intensive routines or expensive moisturizers – it can be as easy as adopting everyday habits that nurture your skin from the inside out. Keeping your skin healthy and glowing begins with protecting it from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and eating and drinking healthy foods and beverages.

With an important role in maintaining overall well-being, it’s reassuring to know skin health may be supported with healthy, everyday foods including fresh, juicy grapes. In fact, emerging research suggests consuming grapes may help protect healthy skin even when exposed to UV light, which is known to be damaging. A study published in the journal “Antioxidants,” in which people consumed 2 1/4 cups of grapes every day for two weeks, showed increased resistance to sunburn and reduced markers of UV damage at the cellular level.

This study reinforced previous and similar findings published in the “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.” Grapes are also a hydrating food with 82% water content; hydration is essential to healthy skin.

Consider these everyday ways you can protect your skin.

Keep the Sun at Bay
Protecting skin from the sun is crucial. A lifetime of sun exposure can lead to wrinkles, age spots and other health problems, including an increased risk of skin cancer. When you’re out enjoying some sunshine, generously apply sunscreen of at least 30 SPF every 1-2 hours. Covering skin with lightweight, long-sleeve shirts, wide-brimmed hats and other sun-protective clothing can also help block UV rays. Another heat-wave hack: Take to the shade during the hottest parts of the day, usually from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., to avoid the sun’s rays when they’re at their strongest.

Fill Your Plate with Healthy Foods
Nutritious foods, including fruits and vegetables, can play an important role in achieving an overall balanced diet with adequate hydration. Enjoying the goodness of fresh or frozen Grapes from California can provide extra hydration and a boost of beneficial antioxidants and other polyphenols that help protect the health and function of the body’s cells, including those in the skin.

Stay Hydrated
Drink water throughout the day, and for added flavor, infuse with hydrating fruits like fresh, juicy grapes. For a cool, hydrating snack, try freezing grapes: simply rinse, pat dry, remove from the stems and freeze for 2 hours in a single layer on a sheet pan for flavorful ice cube replacements.

For an easy, refreshing way to add grapes to your menu and stay hydrated on warm days, try these Frozen Grape Lemonade Ice Pops for a sweet, delicious dessert the entire family can enjoy.

Fight Back Against Stress
Stress can negatively impact skin in a variety of ways, including making it more sensitive or reactive. Be mindful of the effects stress can have on your skin and practice stress-relieving techniques like getting enough sleep, exercise and perhaps exploring meditation, deep breathing or yoga.

Visit GrapesFromCalifornia.com for more delicious recipes and information on grapes and health.

Frozen Grape Lemonade Ice Pops

Yield: 8 ice pops

• 2 cups halved California Grapes
• 1 1/3 cups lemonade

1. Fill eight 3-ounce ice pop molds with halved grapes.
2. Pour in lemonade to just cover fruit. Insert ice pop stick handles.
3. Freeze at least 3 hours until frozen.

 

Sponsored by California Table Grape Commission