[imagesource:wallpaperflare]

Despite all the known health effects that refined carbohydrates have on us, a new study has shown a ‘statistical connection’ between the consumption of refined carbohydrates and decreased facial attractiveness.

The research, involving 104 French adults, adds to growing evidence that suggests our diet, specifically the intake of refined carbohydrates, may impact non-medical traits such as attractiveness.

The study also observed sex-specific differences in how our snacking habits affect how attractive we are to the opposite sex. Participants who consumed a high-glycemic breakfast (rich in sugars) were rated less attractive than those who enjoyed healthy low-glycemic meals like fruits and vegetables.

This may come as bad news to the Western diet which consists mostly of high levels of refined carbs – foods processed in ways that remove most of their nutritional value, such as white flour, sugar, and most of the snacks you buy in a colourful wrapper.

For a fast food generation, this diet has come with increases in obesity, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, but this is the first study to link an unhealthy diet to how attractive you are to the opposite sex.

The researchers gave some of the participants a high-glycemic breakfast—one with refined carbohydrates known to boost blood sugar levels—while others received a low-glycemic breakfast. The participants also completed a questionnaire to evaluate their typical consumption of carbs. Volunteers were then asked to ‘rate the facial attractiveness of opposite-sex’ participants as captured in photos taken two hours after the provided breakfast.

Stats showed that eating a high-carb breakfast was associated with lower subsequent facial attractiveness ratings for both men and women. The research also found an interesting link between attractiveness and when you snack.

Specifically among the male group, the study found that snacking on carbs in the afternoon lowers your attractiveness more than doing so in the morning. This finding persisted even after they accounted for other factors that might affect attractiveness, like age, BMI, smoking habits, and even facial hairiness.

“Facial attractiveness, an important factor of social interactions, seems to be impacted by immediate and chronic refined carbohydrate consumption in men and women.”

As with all research, more study is needed, but the findings seem to indicate that too many carbs will not just make you unhealthy, but ugly too. So stop eating doughnuts for breakfast if you want a girlfriend or boyfriend. It’s science.

[source:neurosciencenews]