Eating five tomatoes a day could help protect against sunburn and premature ageing, new research has revealed.

Eating tomatoes 'keeps you safe in the sun'

Extracts from the Telegraph:

"Experts at Manchester and Newcastle Universities found the fruit improved the skin's ability to protect itself against ultra-violet light.

The researchers calculated that the protection offered by eating tomatoes was comparable to applying factor 1.3 sunscreen.

The team is now hoping to carry out more research to find out if eating tomatoes can protect against more severe forms of sun-damage such as skin cancer."

"Analysis of skin samples from both groups also showed that the tomato diet had boosted the skin's procollagen levels, a molecule which gives the skin its structure. Losing procollagen leads to the skin ageing and losing its elasticity.

It was also found that the increased levels of lycopene reduced damage to mitochondrial DNA in the skin. Damage to that particular genetic material is also linked to ageing skin."