Isn’t it heavenly to bite into juicy berries and feel the healing, soothing juice flow down your throat and sustain your body? Did you know that berries of all shapes and sizes – strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, Indian gooseberry, goji berry, acai berry – are loaded with antioxidants that are called polyphenols. Mansi Chowdhary, Director, Body Cupid, explains how these berry fruits can be your skin saviour.

Polyphenols are potent plant compounds that help in fighting the environmental stressors that cause damage to cells. These plant polyphenols help them fight cellular damage; this is the similar effect the potent antioxidants have on your skin. When you are looking for natural skin care for fighting skin aging, know that antioxidants are key to this.

Polyphenols- Skin Saviour

The polyphenols help to fight oxidative damage caused to the skin structure by the free radicals. Skin damage by free radicals often appear as uneven skin tone, excessive dryness, dullness, fine lines, and wrinkles. Excessive damage can make your skin lose its tone, firmness, and elasticity. The polyphenols – phenolic antioxidants – not only help to visibly repair skin damage caused by environmental stressors; they also revive skin’s natural defences and promote collagen production, so that your skin looks fresh and healthy.
There are three main types of polyphenols that help our skin in a big way. These are flavonoids, lignans – a type of plant fiber, and phenolic acids like ellagic acid that supports skin cell renewal.

Berries and antioxidant protection

While it is good to add berries to your diet to deliver a daily dose of antioxidants to help prevent oxidative damage and reverse some of the damage that’s already been done. Sustain this by applying products infused with extracts from the berries – or better still mash or puree some and use it directly on your skin. It is definitely a smart idea to include berries in your daily skin care regime. Not only are berries rich in antioxidant compounds, but they also have skin reviving vitamins like A, B, C, E, and K. As a rule of thumb, the darker the berry, the more powerful are the antioxidants.

Let’s look at some of the popular berries that deliver major benefits to your skin:

Strawberry

Say goodbye to oily, acne-prone, dull skin with power-packed strawberries. These tart berries are rich in vitamin C, folic acid and fruit fibres that help in the skin regeneration process. Strawberries help to even out patchy complexion and balance sebum on the epidermis. It also has a gentle exfoliating action on the skin that clarifies pores and tone up the skin.

Blueberry

Blueberries are called superfruits. Research shows that these little blue fruits deliver a potent mix of vitamin A, C and E. These support in improving skin texture by enhancing cell turnover. This in turn gives your skin a firm, taut appearance. The antioxidant found in blueberries called resveratrol also helps to fight sun damage and protect skin from aging caused by the UV rays.

Raspberry

Raspberry is rich in the phenolic acid called ellagic acid, which has been shown to support the natural collagen structure and prevent its destruction caused by the continued exposure to UVB. Research shows that raspberry extract has a photoprotective effect, which supports skin’s ability to deal with molecular damage caused by the UV rays.
These red berries also contain tiliroside, which reduces melanin production and can help lighten, brighten and even out the complexion. Interestingly, raspberry extract is a popular additive in sunscreens and skin-brightening products.

Blackberry

It is rich in vitamins A, C, K, and anthocyanins. Blackberries, due to their dark colour, pack an antioxidant punch and help to protect skin from UV damage. The polyphenol anthocyanin protects the skin’s top layer and natural barrier from the UV rays. Vitamin A helps in gently exfoliating the skin and support the skin renewal process, while vitamin C promotes collagen production and helps to decrease skin dryness.

Indian Gooseberry

Indian gooseberry, also called Amla is one of the best-known sources of potent vitamin C. Amla helps to not only fight photodamage caused by the UV rays, it also neutralizes the free radicals thus saving skin from pre-mature aging. It also helps to improve complexion, skin tone and texture. It helps to balance skin, and gives it a velvety smooth appearance.

Acai Berry

This purple coloured berry is a rich source of anthocyanidin polyphenols. It also supports skin structure by fighting the damage caused by the free radicals. The berry has enzymes that help to promote skin renewal process and prevent skin irritations and soothe redness. Acai berry also has essential fatty acid that restores and protects skin’s natural lipd and moisture barrier.

Go on, pick your choice of berry and protect your skin this summer – let it get a healthy, nourished glow.