This summer smoothie recipe is specially designed to help you get the perfect tan while keeping your skin healthy and moisturized!

This smoothie is full of fruits, carrots, and nuts, all of which having a positive impact on skin health and melanin production. Melanin is a natural substance present in our skin and responsible for determining its color. The production of melanin is a defense mechanism against UV rays. So the more someone is exposed to the sun, the more melanin his skin will produce, causing it to darken, thus acquiring the desirable suntan. Taking beta-carotene through foods such as carrots, apricots, pumpkins, spinach, tomatoes, and red peppers, will help keep your skin healthy. And a healthy skin is the basis for getting and sustaining a healthy suntan.

Snow White was considered a beauty due to the white color of her skin. You see, many years ago when kings ruled this earth, the tone of your skin betrayed whether you were a peasant girl working outside all day, under the harsh sun and surrounded by dirt, or a noble princess raised properly inside the thick, protective walls of a dark, humid castle, never having to worry about things such as finding food to eat and clothes to wear. Subsequently, a tanned skin was an indication of poverty and labor, while a pale skin was a sign of nobleness and beauty.

Things have drastically changed since then, and today everyone just can’t seem to wait for the summer to come just to spend some time under the sun, playing on the beach or just laying on a sunbed, preferably with a cocktail in hand. But why have a cocktail when you can have this perfect tan smoothie that does exactly what it says? And while sipping this smoothie, why not nibble a refreshing Mediterranean watermelon and feta cheese salad?

Sun radiation is what causes melanin levels to increase, but it can also cause various skin damages. That’s why it’s very important to stay under the sun for as little as possible. So, how are you going to get a suntan if you hide from the sun? Well, you just have to find a middle ground solution. Wear a sunscreen, stay under the sun for short periods of time and drink this smoothie! Having a healthy and well-prepared skin will help you tan more easily and maintain your suntan for much longer 🙂

A short explaining why this smoothie works:

Peaches help to regenerate skin tissue. They are loaded with Vitamins A, C, K, beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium, and selenium, and they help to protect the skin from hazardous ultraviolet rays.
Apricots are an excellent source of antioxidants. They are rich in Vitamin A, C, carotenoids, beta-carotene, and other strong antioxidant phytonutrients. They optimize the immune function which leads to an overall improvement in the health of the human body.
Collagen synthesis declines with the progression of age and due to sun exposure, leading to skin damage. Eating an orange a day provides enough vitamin C and citric acid to boost collagen production. Citric acid is also a key component of the alpha hydroxyl acid group that can reduce wrinkles, skin damages and soften your skin.
Pineapple helps to keep the skin flexible and firm because it increases collagen synthesis. It contains skin-friendly nutrients such as vitamin C and amino acids. Alpha-hydroxy acids found in pineapple, fight skin-damaging free radicals.
A small carrot supplies nearly 300 percent of your daily intake of vitamin A (4,142 micrograms of beta-carotene). So if you’re going for that healthy glow, don’t forget to throw a small carrot in your blender!
Almonds are rich in Vitamin E which keeps your skin infused with oxygen-rich blood and protects it against invading pathogens. Omega-3 fatty acids in almonds help to maintain muscle mass, support the immune system and increase energy levels and skin radiance.
Brazil nuts are also a great source of vitamin E. They are exceptionally rich in selenium, giving the skin a healthy glow and improving elasticity (goodbye premature aging!) Selenium also stimulates the activity of glutathione that can remove free radicals from the skin cells that cause wrinkles and even skin cancer.

Some notes/tips:
Use ripe apricots and peaches for maximum flavor. Choose fruits that are relatively “heavy” for their size, since this means they’re juicier and riper.
Don’t stay too long under the sun! Sun radiation can cause permanent skin damages and premature aging.
Never forget your hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen 🙂

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