Eating a meaty full English breakfast makes men more attractive – while carb-rich croissants and muffins make women look ugly, study claims

Science
By William
  • Scientists have discovered that breakfast has a crucial influence on the sex hormones in the body
  • This affects how attractive someone appears to the opposite sex

By Chris Pollard for the Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Fancy a breakfast buffet? A new study could influence your decisions.

Eating a meaty, full English breakfast makes men more attractive, claim researchers from the University of Montpellier.

But high-carb croissants and muffins make women look ugly, scientists say.

Scientists have discovered that the first meal of the day has a crucial influence on the sex hormones in the body, influencing how attractive a person appears to the opposite sex.

β€œOur findings serve as a compelling reminder of the far-reaching impact of dietary choices not only on health, but also on traits of social importance such as facial attractiveness,” said Claire Berticat, lead author of the study.

High-carb croissants and muffins make women look ugly (stock image)

Scientists have discovered that the first meal of the day has a crucial influence on the sex hormones in the body, influencing how attractive a person appears to the opposite sex

Starchy or sugary afternoon snacks, such as chips or cookies, can also make men look more attractive due to the glucose boost, but not women.

This is because high blood sugar levels, known as hyperglycemia, have an aging effect on the skin and can suppress the hormones used to seduce men.

The study, conducted at the University of Montpellier in France, measured the attractiveness of individuals’ faces two hours after eating different types of breakfast.

It turned out that greasy, protein-rich frying of bacon, sausages and eggs increases the attractiveness of men and, to a lesser extent, women.

But refined carbohydrates, such as those in pastries and cakes, had the opposite effect only on women: the ‘glycemic load’ of these foods made them look unappealing.

Researcher Claire Berticat said: ‘The consumption of refined carbohydrates, both immediately and chronically, affects facial attractiveness.

‘We saw differences in the way men and women responded to different meals.

‘For men, an increase in energy intake during breakfast also increased attractiveness.

‘However, the reduced attractiveness resulting from an increase in glycemic load during breakfast was limited to women.

‘Examining how refined carbohydrate consumption may influence other traits influenced by sexual hormones could provide valuable insights into the complex interplay between diet, biology and social behavior.’

The study noted that obesity in men often leads to reduced testosterone levels, while in women it can cause an excess of sex hormones, known as hyperandrogenism.

Excessive consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods can lead to several health problems, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO EAT CARBS?

TV doctor Dr Michael Mosley has suggested the best time of day to eat carbohydrates.

He found that eating pasta and bread for dinner is better for people’s waistlines than toast in the morning.

Experts previously thought that carbohydrates should be eaten largely at the start of the day, because the body has longer to burn the glucose they release.

If you don’t do this, insulin is released and blood sugar levels return to normal. This happens by storing excess sugar from carbohydrates as fat, which causes people to gain weight.

Yet the new research, broadcast on the BBC’s Trust Me I’m a Doctor, shows that eating carbohydrates in the evening causes less dramatic blood sugar spikes than eating carbohydrates for breakfast. been too starchy.

Dr. Mosley advises people to be consistent in their carbohydrate eating habits and avoid overeating at each meal.

He conducted the study in collaboration with the University of Surrey by asking healthy volunteers to eat most of their daily carbohydrate intake in the morning or evening.

All study participants ate the same amount of carbohydrates every day, including bread, pasta and vegetables.

They ate most of these foods for breakfast for the first five days, followed by five days of a normal diet before finally switching to a low-carb breakfast and a high-carb dinner for the last five days.

The researchers analyzed the participants’ blood sugar levels throughout the study.

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