Get a healthy tan with these foods that prepare your skin for the sun

Some have always known it, even if they could not explain it with technical words. Carrots, tomatoes, mangoes... these summer products that arrive loaded with color hide strategic nutrients under their skin. Beta-carotene, for example, is more than a pigment: it is a precursor of vitamin A, essential for cell renewal and for maintaining the integrity of the epidermis. Its regular consumption is associated with skin that is better able to respond to the sun and has a slightly more even tone.

The list is long and varied. Carrots, as humble as they are effective, lead the ranking for their very high beta-carotene content. They are followed by tropical fruits such as mango and papaya, which combine antioxidants and vitamin C to help keep the skin luminous, protected and with an even appearance. Spinach, for its part, provides lutein, another antioxidant compound that is being investigated for its possible protective effects against ultraviolet radiation.

However, the effects are not immediate. These nutrients act cumulatively, and their impact depends on consistency, not one-time consumption.

Tanning is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also of biology. When the skin is exposed to the sun, it generates free radicals, small molecules that can damage cells and accelerate skin aging. In the face of this, nature has provided us with an arsenal of defenses. One of the most studied is lycopene, present in large quantities in tomatoes, especially when cooked. This antioxidant has demonstrated its ability to reduce erythema (redness) after sun exposure, although it helps, it does not replace the sunscreen that you have to put on your skin. That one is still a must.

Eggs, often relegated by false dietary beliefs, prove to be an excellent ally thanks to their contribution of vitamin A and high quality proteins. And avocado, along with nuts, completes the nutritional map with its richness in vitamin E, key to keeping the skin supple, hydrated and with good barrier function.

Of course, these nutrients are most effective when obtained from fresh, natural foods. The use of supplements should be assessed on a case-by-case basis and always under medical supervision, especially in people with liver disease or a history of smoking, as excess vitamin A can have adverse effects.

Taking care of your skin is also a question of habits. Eating well is not enough if you do not drink enough water: hydration is essential to maintain the skin's barrier function, its elasticity and its capacity for self-repair. And likewise, avoiding ultra-processed foods (rich in added sugars, poor-quality fats and salt) can reduce systemic inflammation, which is responsible for many skin imbalances.

In other words, what we choose to eat today can influence how our skin responds to the sun tomorrow. Because skin that is well nourished not only tans better: it is also protected, repaired and maintains its radiance for longer.

A beautiful tone may be a reflection of well-treated skin, but it should never become a goal at any price. Excessive sun exposure, without protection, is one of the factors most implicated in premature aging and the development of skin pathologies. For this reason, no food can replace the use of an appropriate sunscreen, adapted to the type of skin and reapplied frequently. Nor does it replace rest, stress management or constant topical care.

The true gesture of beauty and health is in the sum of small repeated actions: a well seasoned gazpacho, a breakfast with fresh papaya, a green salad with nuts. Details that seem trivial, but that build a more resistant, balanced and luminous skin.

Did you know that what you eat can influence how your skin tans? Have you ever noticed that your skin color lasts longer when you take care of your diet? Do you have a habit that you repeat every summer to prepare your skin from the inside out?

Tell us: is there any food that is always on your table when the good weather arrives? Any advice that you learned at home and that you follow to the letter every year?

We'll read you in the comments. Because personal care is also transmitted by sharing everyday knowledge, small gestures that, without knowing it, are health routines. And because beautiful skin is not only beautiful, it can also be cultivated.