Those rosy-red cheeks that give some people what’s often called “a healthy glow”? It’s a real physiological phenomenon, according to new scientific research.
Scottish researchers have found eating large amounts of fruits and vegetables can produce changes in skin color – contributing to redness and yellowish tones perceived as healthy.
The study, reported in the journal Public Library of Science ONE, was conducted by scientists at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland who monitored the fruit and vegetable intake for 35 individuals over six weeks.
What they found: The more fruits and vegetables the study participants consumed, the redder and yellower their skin tone became.
They also said the changes in skin color associated with increased fruit and vegetable consumption were perceived as more attractive -- suggesting that the skin color changes reflect improved health.
The participants in the study were primarily but not exclusively white, so researchers suggested more research is needed to “understand potential diet effects on skin color in other populations.”
The study was funded, in part, by the Economic and Social Research Council.