As of: March 20, 2024, 10:13 p.m
By: Michelle Brey
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Does breakfast have an effect on attractiveness?
(Symbolic image) © Kara Chin/The Picture Pantry/Imago/Westend61/Imago
Nutrition influences health.
And, according to researchers, so does a person's attraction.
Carbohydrates play the crucial role.
Munich – A perfect morning includes a healthy breakfast: for many people, this is the start of a new day.
Others completely avoid eating anything in the morning.
In a study, researchers from France now explain that breakfast can lead to a “subtle change in facial attractiveness”.
So does the first meal of the day have an impact on attractiveness?
Nutrition study: What influence does breakfast have on attractiveness?
The breakfast study by evolutionary researcher Dr.
Claire Berticat was published in PLOS ONE, an online journal of the Public Library of Science, in early March.
A total of 104 test subjects between the ages of 20 and 30 were included in the study.
They were randomly divided into two groups.
In a study, researchers made surprising findings about the effects of breakfast on attractiveness (symbolic image).
© Kara Chin/The Picture Pantry/Imago
Both groups received a 500 calorie (kcal) breakfast.
One group received a refined carbohydrate breakfast consisting of: baguette, jam, apple or orange juice and tea or coffee with sugar.
The other group ate an unrefined carbohydrate breakfast consisting of: whole grain bread, butter and cheese, an apple or orange, and tea or coffee without sugar.
Blood sugar levels and photographs: This is how the study was carried out
Blood sugar levels were measured three times:
once in a fasting state, once 30 minutes after breakfast and again 90 minutes after breakfast.
This confirmed “that consumption of refined carbohydrates during breakfast has a significant immediate effect on glucose metabolism.”
Photographs of the test subjects:
A photo was taken of the test subjects almost two hours after finishing breakfast.
You should look neutrally into the camera (no smile), hair tied back, glasses, earrings, piercings and make-up removed.
In addition, care was taken to take the photos in exactly the same lighting conditions.
An evaluation group
that was supposed to make assessments about the age, gender and attractiveness of the people.
Refined and unrefined carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates are processed industrially - unrefined carbohydrates are usually not.
Refined carbohydrates are also known as unhealthy or simple carbohydrates.
The principle is simple: Simple carbohydrates enter the blood more quickly (than multi-chain carbohydrates) and thus cause blood sugar levels to rise more quickly - and then fall quickly again.
This is where the so-called glycemic index (GI) comes into play.
As the consumer advice center informs, this “represents a measure of how a carbohydrate-containing food affects the blood sugar level”.
The rule of thumb: “The lower the glycemic index, the less and more slowly the blood sugar level rises.” Refined carbohydrates are created, for example, in the production of white flour.
A large part of the nutrients are lost.
Breakfast can “subtly change facial features”
The result: The test subjects who ate the healthier breakfast - that is, the one with unrefined carbohydrates - were perceived by the evaluation group as looking better.
Or as the paper literally says: “Women and men who had a high-glycemic breakfast were rated as less attractive than those who had a low-glycemic breakfast.” Study author Berticat told The Guardian that it was
“
surprising “that our eating habits can have a rapid impact on our appearance.”
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“These physiological changes could subtly alter facial features and impact how other people perceive our attractiveness.”
Dr.
Claire Berticat in an interview with The Guardian
What's behind it?
– The effects of refined sugar
In their study, the researchers explain the results with processes in the body triggered by refined carbohydrates.
Breakfast with refined carbohydrates led to hypoglycemia in the respective test subjects.
This is colloquially referred to as hypoglycemia, i.e. a drop in blood sugar levels.
The study states, with reference to previous data: “Hypoglycemia is known to have visible symptoms as it affects blood circulation and the skin.” This in turn can be seen in the photos and could therefore influence the perception of attractiveness.
“Our results are a compelling reminder of the far-reaching impact of dietary choices not only on health, but also on traits with particular social significance such as facial attractiveness,” Berticat told
The Guardian
.
It should be noted that the study cannot be considered representative due to the small number of subjects (104).
Most recently, a study also identified a health risk associated with proteins.
(mbr)