If you want to look your best in the morning, it may be worth replacing the ultra-processed pastries and fruit juice with whole-wheat toast and sugar-free tea.
Researchers in France found that people who ate a breakfast high in refined carbohydrates were rated as less attractive than those who started the day with healthier, unrefined carbohydrates.
Scientists from the University of Montpellier believe the subtle shift in facial attractiveness may be caused by changes in blood sugar levels and insulin that can affect the appearance of the skin and have longer-term effects on sex hormones.
“It’s surprising to think, but our dietary choices can have rapid consequences on our appearance,” said Dr. Claire Berticat, an evolutionary biologist and the study’s first author. “These physiological changes can subtly alter facial features, influencing the way others experience attractiveness.”
The researchers recruited 52 men and 52 women between the ages of 20 and 30 and randomly gave them a 500-calorie breakfast rich in refined or unrefined carbohydrates. The refined carbohydrate breakfast consisted of a French baguette made from industrially ground flour, jam, apple or orange juice, and tea or coffee with sugar. The unrefined carbohydrate meal consisted of stone-ground whole-grain bread with butter and cheese, an orange or apple, and tea or coffee without sugar.
The scientists measured volunteers’ blood sugar levels before and after eating and then took head photographs of the participants under controlled lighting conditions. The photos were then passed to groups of raters to estimate how old, how male or female, and how attractive the individuals looked.
Writing in Plos Onethe researchers claim that eating refined carbohydrates for breakfast reduced facial attractiveness for men and women, although the long-term effects of eating such foods, inferred from questionnaires completed by the volunteers, were more complicated.
“The effect varies by gender and meal type, underscoring the complex relationship between diet and attractiveness,” Berticat said. “Our findings serve as a compelling reminder of the far-reaching impact of dietary choices, not only on health, but also on traits of particular social importance, such as facial attractiveness.”
Refined carbohydrates can cause spikes in blood sugar levels, which the body counteracts by releasing insulin. The reaction can cause sugar levels to drop too low, a condition called hypoglycemia, and can affect blood flow and the appearance of the skin. In the study, only the refined carbohydrate breakfast caused hypoglycemia.
David Perrett, professor of psychology at the University of St Andrews, who has studied facial cues for health, said it should come as no surprise that diet influences attractiveness. Fruits and vegetables improved attractiveness by increasing plant pigments called carotenoids in the skin, he said, while high-sugar diets could age the skin.
“The authors suggest that the refined carbohydrate could affect peripheral blood flow,” Perrett said. “Blood flow can change the appearance of the skin very quickly. You can see the impact in seconds if you feel nauseous as the blood drains from the skin. We found that most people look healthier and more attractive when their skin color reflects a slight increase in oxygenated blood.”
When asked what advice she would give to people who want to look their best, Berticat said: “We know that refined carbohydrates have a negative impact on health and that is reason enough to limit their consumption.”