Eat grapes to protect your skin from sunburn and UV damage.

New York: According to a new study, eating grapes can help protect against sunburn and ultraviolet (UV) skin damage, and natural components found in the fruits known as polyphenols are thought to be responsible for these beneficial effects.

The findings, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, revealed that study participants had increased sunburn resistance and a decrease in UV damage markers at the cellular level.

“Grapes may act as an edible sunscreen, providing an additional layer of protection in addition to topical sunscreen products,” said lead researcher Craig Elmets of the University of Alabama in Birmingham, in the United States.

The study looked at the effect of consuming whole grape powder (equivalent to 2.25 cups of grapes per day) for 14 days on photodamage caused by UV light.

The participants’ skin response to UV light was measured before and after two weeks of grape consumption by determining the minimum dose of UV radiation that caused visible reddening after 24 hours – the Minimal Erythema Dose (MED).

Grape consumption was found to be protective, as more UV exposure was required to cause sunburn after grape consumption, with MED increasing by 74.8 per cent on average.

Analysis of skin biopsies revealed that the grape diet was associated with less DNA damage, fewer skin cell deaths, and a decrease in inflammatory markers, all of which, if unchecked, can impair skin function and potentially lead to skin cancer.

“We saw a significant photoprotective effect with grape consumption, and we were able to identify molecular pathways by which that benefit occurs — through DNA repair and downregulation of proinflammatory pathways,” Elmets said.

The majority of skin cancer cases are linked to UV radiation from the Sun, accounting for approximately 90% of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 86% of melanomas, respectively.

Furthermore, the sun is estimated to be associated with 90% of skin ageing.