London: If you wish to avoid looking older than your age, try relishing grapes. A new study has found this fruit could protect against skin cancer and prevent premature ageing.
The study has shown that compounds found in the fruit protect cells from the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun - the leading environmental cause of skin cancer, Daily Mail reported.
Ultra violet (UV) rays increase the levels of reactive oxygen species - harmful molecules which damage the cells - in the skin.
Scientists from the University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council have shown that substances called flavonoids extracted from grapes can prevent these from forming in cells exposed to UV rays.
"These encouraging results should be taken into consideration... to develop new photo- protection skin products," says Marta Cascante, a biochemist at the University of Barcelona and director of the research project.
Cascante, whose report was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, added: "This study supports the idea of using these products to protect the skin from cell damage and death caused by solar radiation."
IANS
