Eat a Square of Chocolate a Day to Keep Sunburns Away Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Skin Cancer Your Diet May Help Prevent Sun Damage Sunscreen is the No. 1 way to prevent skin cancer, but some surprising dietary tactics — including eating foods, like chocolate, that are rich in antioxidants — can help reduce risk, too. By Eva KashukMedically Reviewed by Thomas Urban Marron, MD, PhDReviewed: July 28, 2020Medically Reviewed When it comes to skin cancer food can serve as preventive medicine research suggests Jennifer Chong/StocksySun protection in the form of hats and sunscreen isn’t the only way to prevent skin cancer. It turns out that what you eat may help mitigate the damaging effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation, (the major risk factor for skin cancer), too. Among the foods that might help:664 Chocolate Andrew Hounslea/Getty ImagesChocolate boasts lots of healthy antioxidants in the form of phenols and catechins. “Cocoa, or dark chocolate, contains 4 times as much phenols and catechins as tea — antioxidants that protect our skin from sunburn and skin cancer,” says Frank Lipman, MD, founder of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City, who recommends fitting 2 ounces of dark chocolate into your daily diet. Antioxidants disarm free radicals, DNA-damaging molecules formed when UV rays penetrate skin, according to the National Cancer Institute. RELATED: 8 Healthy (and Delicious) Chocolate Bars That Dietitians Eat665 Red Fruits and Vegetables Like Tomatoes and Peppers Renáta Muzslay/Getty ImagesTomatoes, red peppers, and other bright red produce contain the skin-friendly antioxidant lycopene. “Some research has shown that lycopene can protect skin from the damaging effects of UV rays,” says Jessica Wu, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at USC Medical School in Los Angeles, and author of Feed Your Face. This may not only helps shield you from skin cancer, but it also helps stop the breakdown of tissues that may lead to wrinkles, she says. When choosing vegetables, look for the brightest red variety, which is also the most abundant in lycopene. And, when possible, cook them — heat helps release lycopene from plant cells so your body can better absorb it. RELATED: 6 Ways to Eat and Drink Your Way to Healthier Skin666 Garlic Jeff Wasserman/Stocksy“Garlic contains several antioxidants, including compounds that have been shown to inhibit the growth of basal cell carcinoma and melanoma cells,” says Dr. Wu. Among its health promoting ingredients are sulfur-containing compounds (allicin), flavonoids, selenium, and arginine. Research published July 2018 in the journal Nutrition and Cancer suggest that daily garlic intake reduces the risk of skin cancer. RELATED: A Comprehensive Guide to an Anti-Inflammatory Diet667 Green Tea Martí Sans/StocksyGreen tea’s skin-protective powers come from the anti-inflammatory effects of phytochemicals of phenols, according to a study published in January 2018 in the journal Photodermatology Photoimmunology Photomedicine. In a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, people who regularly consumed 2 cups of green tea daily had a significantly lower risk of squamous cell skin carcinoma (the second most common form of skin cancer). RELATED: 10 High-Antioxidant Foods That Prove Food Is Medicine668 Foods Rich in Beta-Carotene Like Sweet Potato Carrots and Mango Roy Mehta/Getty ImagesSome of your favorite orange foods are packed with beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A boosts your immune system’s ability to fight some cancers, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation. In a 2019 study published in JAMA Dermatology, researchers found that participants whose diet had the highest intake of vitamin A had a 17 percent reduction in their risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma. RELATED: Can What You Eat Beat Disease? It May, and an Acclaimed Researcher Shares How669 Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids Milles Studio/StocksyOmega-3 fatty acids are another nutrient believed to play a role in preventing skin cancer progression, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. High concentrations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the cell membrane work to maintain cells against UV damage, found a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Fatty fish such as salmon and sardines are a great source of omega-3’s. Vegetarian? Not to worry; walnuts and chia seeds also offer similar benefits. RELATED: Grass-Fed Butter vs. Regular Butter: What’s the Difference? 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