Melons can stop sunburn
Updated: 2006-07-15 19:06
Melons are not only a summer thirst quencher - they help prevent
sunburn. The discovery of the sun-protective powers of melon juice was made by a
French farmer.
He noticed that a particular type of cantaloupe lasted longer in storage than
other melons. When scientists at Paris University studied them, they discovered
they were rich in antioxidants that help protect against harmful oxygen-free
radicals that can damage cells and are triggered by over-exposure to sun.
The juice of the melon has been concentrated and freeze-dried into pills that
can be taken daily to help protect against skin damage, in addition to wearing
sunscreen.
'The extract gives a degree of added protection you couldn't get from just
eating a melon,' says Professor Marvin Edeas, an expert on antioxidants at the
University of Paris.
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