Vegetable lovers are more attractive

Posted on Tue, 1 Feb 11

Sun tanning is sought after to give skin a healthy, more attractive appearance but the truth is you are better off just eating more vegetables. A new study has found that vegetables give your skin a healthier and more desirable lustre than a suntan.

Fruits and vegetables contain natural chemicals called carotenoids which are responsible for their vibrant colours.  A study in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour found that people who ate more fruits and vegetables have a more golden skin colour thanks to their higher intake of carotenoids.

When asked to choose between pictures of peoples faces whose skin colour was due to a suntan or carotenoids people consistently chose carotenoids suggesting a link between a healthy diet and physical attractiveness. Human sexual selection may have favoured healthier individuals throughout evolution, leaving the people who didn’t eat their greens behind.

Reference:

Stephen I, Coetzee V, Perrett D. Carotenoid and melanin pigment coloration affect perceived human health. Evolution and Human Behavior, 2010. [Epub ahead of print]