While you may not think of sunlight as a nutrient, it is one of the most important substances for health.
In addition to producing vitamin D, sunlight plays a myriad of roles in the endocrine system, helping to prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Sunlight is composed of electromagnetic radiation of varying wavelengths, ranging from the long-wavelength infrared light to the short-wavelength ultraviolet. The ultraviolet light is further subdivided into UVA and the even shorter-wavelength UVB radiation. Although UVB causes sunburns, it is also the component that initiates Vitamin-D production in the skin.
Scientists now believe that using certain types of sunscreen actually promoted skin damage, while, at the same time, blocking beneficial vitamin-D production. In fact, sunscreen reduces the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D by at least 95%. To learn more about the benefits of moderate sun exposure, read Your Best Health Under the Sun.