Protect Your Skin This Summer with Apples

Originally published in June 2013; updated August 2022.

Summertime is one of the best times to relax and enjoy the warmth of the summer sun, and I’m eager to spend as much time as possible soaking it up while it’s around. However, with fair skin that burns easily, I know that applying sunscreen regularly is a must for me to be able to spend extended time outdoors. Today, I’m going to let you in on another – and perhaps unlikely – secret that will help protect your skin during the summer months. Ready for it?

Eat apples!

It’s true! No matter how you slice them, apples are great for maintaining healthy skin and hair. That’s because they contain vitamins C and B. In fact, one medium apple has 14% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, which may help strengthen hair, nails, and speed up skin cell production. Beneficial B vitamins are also found in apples and help fight acne and skin irritation.

And that’s not all! The high concentration of antioxidants found in apples may also benefit the skin. Eating raw apples regularly provides the body with antioxidants to help prevent cell and tissue damage throughout the body and especially for its largest organ – skin! Studies have even found that Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples are particularly protective for the skin because they contain high levels of both collagen and elastin.

At-Home Skin Treatments

In addition to eating apples for healthy skin, this popular fruit can be used to make a variety of at-home skin treatments in order to treat acne, sunburns, or to use as part of a face mask or skin toner. There are also a variety of over-the-counter skin care products available that use apples as an extract to benefit the skin.

Of course, apples aren’t the only fruit or food that can help promote healthy skin. Lemons, cucumber, green tea, pomegranate, white tea, and apricots are all beneficial to the skin. Lemons purify the skin, pomegranates have ellagic acid which is a known anti-inflammatory, and the carotenoids in apricots help give skin that healthy glow.

Now, I want to hear from you! What tips do you have for keeping skin healthy during the heat of the summer? Share your summer skincare secrets in the comments below.