There’s no question that sunscreen should be your first line of defense against the blazing summer sun. But eating tomatoes could give you a little extra protection: Consuming more lycopene — the carotenoid that makes tomatoes red — may protect your skin from sunburn. In one study, participants who were exposed to UV light had almost 50 per cent less skin reddening after they ate two-and-a-half tablespoons of tomato paste (or drank about one-and-two-thirds cup of carrot juice daily), in addition to their regular diet, for 10 to 12 weeks. Supplements, however, weren’t as effective: in the same study, those who received a lycopene supplement or synthetic lycopene weren’t significantly protected against sunburn.