Let your skin glow

New research suggests that eating a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables gives you a healthier golden glow than the sun. The research published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour showed that instead of heading for the sun the best way to look good is to munch on carrots and tomatoes. The researchers found that people who eat more portions of fruit and vegetables per day have a more golden skin colour, thanks to substances called carotenoids. When participants in this study were asked to rate human faces on attractiveness and healthy look, majority of them preferred the golden skin tone over a suntan. Carotenoids are responsible for the red colouring in fruit and vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, apricots, sweet potatoes, and they are also abundant in dark green vegetables such as spinach and kale. Apart from giving your skin a healthy glow, carotenoids are also antioxidants which means they help soak up damaging compounds produced by the stresses and strains of everyday living.

_{Stephen I.D. et al., 2011. Carotenoid and melanin pigment coloration affect perceived human health. Evolution and Human Behaviour. 32 (3) 216-227.}