I’m sure you’ve heard before that fruits and veggies will make you feel healthier, but a recent study shows that getting your daily dose(s) of produce can make you look healthier too.
Ross Whitehead, lead researcher from the School of Psychology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, noted, “We found that within a six-week period, fluctuation in fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with skin-color changes.” The skin of participants who upped their intake (as opposed to those who lessened it) was judged to be more attractive at the end of the study, which was published March 7 in the online journal PLoS ONE.
Researchers credit the carotenoids—the yellow and red pigments in the fruits and vegetables—for adding a glow. Specific carotenoids studied included beta-carotene (found in carrots, yams, spinach, peaches, pumpkin and apricots, among other things) and lycopene, which is found in foods such as apricots, watermelons, tomatoes and pink grapefruits.
However, it should be noted that the study was small, with only 35 participants (who were mostly white, which doesn’t show how produce intake might affect other complexions) and that it really only shows an association between the appearance of skin and fruit and vegetable intake, not a cause-and-effect relationship.
Still, it’s promising. Like you needed another excuse to add a side salad at dinner or top your breakfast with fruit…
What fruits and veggies are you loving lately?
Hungry for more?
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