A golden summer rule: stack your plate with healthy vitamins!

Vitamin A and and its provitamins play a key role in cell renewal and immune system function. It helps regulate the synthesis of melanin (the pigment that gives our skin its colour) and also reduces the appearance of liver spots. Antioxidant, it also protect the skin from sun allergies or other abnormal reactions to sunlight. Where is it found? Vitamin A is found in meat, poultry, liver. However, some of its derivatives can be sourced from fruits and vegetables (carrots, spinach, broccoli, oranges, mango).

Known for its antioxidant and anti-fatigue properties, it stimulates the production of collagen, which firms the skin. But above all, vitamin C reduces liver spots and sun-related blemishes by reducing melanin production. Where is it found? Summer is the best time to get your fill of vitamin C by eating fruits and vegetables: blackcurrants, peppers, lemons, oranges, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, herbs...

Known to boost the immune system and, when combined with calcium, prevent osteoporosis, vitamin D is hard to find in foodstuffs. Our body synthesises it from sunlight, which can provide 80% of our daily vitamin D requirement. Hence the reason we need to dose up during summer and create a stock for overcast winter months.  Where is it found? Vitamin D is rarely found in food, but salmon, trout and herring are all good sources. It can also be found in cow's milk, egg yolks and fortified soy drinks. 

Being an antioxidant that neutralises the body's free radicals, it protects us from harmful UV radiation, but it can't technically be classified as a sunscreen. Combined with vitamin C in a sunscreen, it potentiates the efficacy of the filtering system and applied to the skin, it helps repair sunburn!  Where is it found? Common sources of vitamin E are nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and, to a lesser extent, green leafy vegetables.