Get a More Natural Tan

From weddingspot.co.uk 6 04 2011 Beauty for brides

Sunbathing is the natural way of getting a beautiful and even tan, but if you want to speed up the process and intensify the colour, carotenes will help you to achieve that perfect tan.

Carotenes are naturally occurring pigments that can be found in almost all vegetables such as carrots, spinach, marrows, tomatoes or asparagus, as well as some other foods such as salmon, egg yolk or seafood. They can equally be found in fruits like apricots, papaya or peaches.

Carotene rich foods are very healthy thanks to their antioxidant properties and they also serve to enhance our tans whilst keeping the skin hydrated and cared for. If you eat some of these foods a few days before being exposed to the sun, their composition will activate melanin production and offer protection from the sun's negative effects and free radicals.

In fact, their properties are so beneficial, that the majority of sun tan lotions include this substance. In the last few years beta-carotene tablets have even come on the market in pharmacies and herbal food stores.

Thus carotenes are our best ally when it comes to tanning as well as naturally protecting our skin from UV rays. To find out which foods contain the most amount of carotene, you only have to look at the colour. As a general rule, the stronger the colour, the more carotene it contains.

If you want to speed up the tanning process in a natural and healthy way, it's best to incorporate carotene rich foods into your diet on a regular basis, following some balanced nutritional guidelines and incorporating the recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables.

*Article provided by Dr Laura Anivarro, dietician and nutritional specialist at the Opcion Medica Clinics.

Get a More Natural Tan

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