Eating grapes can help prevent sunburns and skin cancer, according to a study.

Eating grapes can help prevent sunburns and skin cancer, according to a study.

New research suggests that there may be another reason to adore the grape, which is a popular food and beverage around the world and a source of numerous health benefits. protection against sunburn.

A small, peer-reviewed study published Wednesday in the scientific journal Antioxidants found that consumption of grapes protected 29 human volunteers from ultraviolet (UV) skin damage.

Researchers from universities in Massachusetts and New York observed volunteers for two weeks as they consumed whole grape powder, equivalent to 2 1/4 cups of grapes. Before and after consuming the grapes, the researchers measured the skin's response to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and found that one-third of the participants had increased resistance to sunburn. Resistance was likely linked to polyphenols, which are naturally occurring compounds found in grapes that function as antioxidants in the body, according to the authors.

The analysis of gut microbiome, blood, and urine samples revealed that the same individuals who exhibited UV resistance also possessed unique microbiome and metabolic characteristics, suggesting a link between people's genes, gut health, and skin health. In other words, the genetic profiles of some individuals include digestive and metabolic traits that confer sunburn resistance after grape consumption.

"'Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food' dates back to Hippocrates," said John Pezzuto, the study's lead author and dean at Western New England University. "After 2,500 years, as demonstrated by this human study on grape consumption, we are still learning the truth of this statement,"

The report adds to the growing body of scientific evidence indicating that consuming grapes can protect skin from UV radiation. It cites American studies from 2008, 2019 and 2020 indicating that eating grapes prevented skin cancer in hairless mice exposed to ultraviolet light.

UV light is the component of sunlight that causes skin to age and become damaged, as well as cancers such as melanoma. The majority of skin cancer cases are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun, according to a study published on November 30.

More than 80,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually in Canada, according to the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, accounts for over 5,000 of these cases.