This article is about the amazing melanocyte. The hope is for you to come away with a better understanding of how this cell works, and just how much work it actually does for you day in and day out. After hearing so much chatter about how sunscreen is not necessary and how dietary nutrients are all that are needed for sun protection, I decided to share the story of the miraculous melanocyte and let you decide if this cell is worth protecting more fiercely. LIFE OF THE MELANOC

Got your attention? Think I’m crazy? Chicken skin is a functional food. What is a functional food, you say? Functional foods are foods that have a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition. Proponents of functional foods say they promote optimal health and help reduce the risk of disease. So how could chicken skin possibly be a functional food after all we’ve been told over the last few decades? Well, let me explain. Chicken skin contains a molecule called