Factor 50+ raises the bar in sun protection

You may be surprised to learn that many common foods offer some protection to your skin from the potentially damaging rays of the sun, from the inside out. This SPF or sun protective factor aspect of foods has to do with the presence of certain antioxidant compounds. Plants produce antioxidants within their own tissues to protect their own cells from premature destruction, due to exposure to heat, light, air, moisture and time.

When we consume many of these plant-derived antioxidants, these natural agents provide protection to the cells of our bodies, including skin cells. By eating certain foods, especially those that are brightly colored, you can actually help to reduce damage to your skin caused by exposure to UVA and UVB rays from sunlight. Let’s consider some of the better sun protective foods.

Cancer Council has resisted the increased level to 50+, saying it gives people a false sense of security as the higher level of chemicals in sunscreen do not necessarily provide an exponentially higher rate of protection.

The organisation, however, acknowledges the importance of using broad spectrum sunscreen.

The chairman of Standards Australia's sunscreen standards committee, Craig Sinclair, is also a spokesman for the Cancer Council.

''Certainly the Cancer Council has not been the ones advocating for this change, it's been largely led by industry,'' Mr Sinclair said.

He said broad spectrum products - that included protection against both UVA and UVB - were more important than the SPF level.

It was also important to ensure people applied enough sunscreen at regular intervals.

''It's much more about application than it is about the SPF numbers, as such. From the perspective of the Cancer Council, we haven't been pushing for this at all, but if it means that the industry, in going to SPF 50+, is producing better quality sunscreens which have much broader UVA and UVB protection, then we're going to get better public health outcomes.''

The proposal also recommends banning potentially misleading terms such as ''sun block'' and ''water proof'' from sunscreen labels.

The draft standard is available for public comment.

Mr Sinclair said he expected it would be introduced later in the year, and would take effect by the following summer.