Scientists discover the 19 foods that can make you more attractive – and they’ll cost you less than £1

YOU can change the shade of your skin colour by eating certain foods.

And multiple studies have shown this diet-related alteration is rated as more attractive than an equivalent sun tan.

A healthy golden glow from fruit and veg was considered more attractive than a tan from the sun

This is because humans are hardwired to find the glow from a nutritious diet, which includes lots of foods high in carotenoids, aesthetically pleasing.

Carotenoids are antioxidants commonly found in fruits and vegetables such as yellow and red peppers, spinach, apricots and melons. 

They are also in some animal products, including eggs and salmon.

When you eat fruits and veggies, these carotenoids make their way out through your sweat glands and back into the outer layer of your skin, making it look more orange or red, like a natural bronzer.

Three separate studies, published between 2011 and 2015, got people to rate the attractiveness of the colour change of people from carotenoids or sun tan.

Overwhelmingly, the results from all research suggested that a healthy golden glow from fruit and veg was considered more beautiful than a tan from the sun.

One of the studies, published in PLOS ONE, found eating just two extra portions of fruit and vegetables per day can lead to a noticeable change in skin colour in just over a month.

Scientists at St Andrews University tracked the diets of 35 students over a six-week period, measuring natural changes in their diet and skin colour.

People that improved their diet with more fruits and veggies showed an increase in the desired golden skin tone, while the colour reduced in those whose diets had slipped.

As well as making people look more attractive, carotenoids benefit overall health.

They work by soaking up damaging compounds produced by the stresses of everyday living, and are important for our immune and reproductive systems.

The antioxidents might also slow down biological ageing better than lifestyle changes, according to a large 2017 study, published in Ageing.

The NHS recommends that people eat five potions a day to maintain a balanced diet.

More broadly, fruit and veg provide dietary fibre, which helps maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems.

The foods can help reduce the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers.