Self, Sex

Want To Be More Attractive When Dating? We've Got The Secret Tip!

couple

Forget caking on the makeup, getting spray tans, or drastically, botox or plastic surgery. The key to making yourself look more attractive to others lies in your diet.

A study in the science journal Biology Letters has found that people have a preference for that yellowy, golden glow that healthy people have and when they're looking for a potential partner, they can pick up on the tiniest clues that indicate good health. (And just a hint, plant chemicals called carotenoids give your skin a slightly pigmented look.) Yes, apparently we can subconsciously tell if the person next to us getting their recommended daily dose of fruits and vegetables just by looking at their skin tone.

And it makes sense, right? We're more likely to go for the bronzed god or goddess than the pale and sickly-looking one (unless, they're a vampire, I guess).

In the study, researchers from the universities of York, St. Andrews and Cambridge in the UK, showed 56 volunteers photos of 10 male and 10 female faces. They created two versions of the photos, one where the subjects had a healthy complexion and the other where they did not. The study participants were asked to rate the people in the photos by attractiveness. Then, researchers showed the volunteers "abstract" versions of the photos with the same varied tones, but the faces were mixed up so they were unrecognizable. This was to see if people are just generally drawn to the color yellow, instead of seeing it as a sign of good health. They found that yellowy quality of the abstract images didn't make a difference.

It's interesting to see that we can pick up on subtle clues to good health in a potential partner. And it's good news too, since not only will your body feel great and energized with better eating habits, the state of your love life might be looking up, too!