As you might already know, our skin becomes more sensitive to things like sun damage as we get older. Lycopene, however, is a nutrient that works to protect your skin from the inside out.
While it’s definitely not considered a replacement for using sunscreen, studies have shown that lycopene can protect your skin from harmful UV rays. In one study, subjects were exposed to UV rays before and after taking either 16 milligrams of lycopene derived from tomato paste or a placebo. Those who took the tomato paste showed much less severe skin reactions to the UV rays compared to the placebo group. A similar study found that taking between eight and 16 milligrams of lycopene (from food or supplements) resulted in a 40 to 50 percent reduction in sun damage to the skin. That’s pretty impressive!
About the recipe creator:
I’m Elle, a nutritionist, food photographer, soon to be qualified personal trainer, podcaster and blogger at ellefrizzell.com. I’m all about holistic health and have a particular interest in skin and gut health due to experiencing cystic acne and leaky gut. I am a huge foodie and if I’m not sweating my face off in the gym, I’ll be in my kitchen testing out new healthy recipes.
I think vegan collagen is great for adding skin and gut nourishing ingredients to smoothie bowls, raw snacks, treats and drinks. I’m a big fan of the vitamin C rich camu camu, which I often use to make immunity shots in the winter.
Health & happiness, Elle x