By John Salak –
There are a lot of reasons to argue against chowing down on refined carbohydrates, which are found in processed foods that have much of their nutritional value stripped away.
Besides not providing a lot of health support, they can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels that can trigger overeating and obesity. Research also suggests diets high in refined carbs may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, heart disease, high blood pressure and even cognitive issues such as Alzheimer’s disease, Verywellhealth.com reports.
If these concerns aren’t enough to make people shy away from refined carbs—think white flour, table sugar and many packaged snacks—researchers at the University of Montpellier in France just offered up another deterrent. These nutritionally empty foods make people less attractive.
The research team determined this after giving one group of participants in their study a high-glycemic breakfast—one with refined carbohydrates known to boost blood sugar levels—while others received a low-glycemic breakfast. The participants also spelled out their typical habits when it came to consuming refined carbohydrates.
Another set of heterosexual volunteers was then brought in to rate the facial attractiveness of opposite-sex participants as captured in photos taken two hours after the provided breakfast.
The results for those eating a breakfast of refined carbs weren’t particularly appetizing. Both men and women scored statistically lower on facial attractiveness ratings.
Chronic consumption of refined carbohydrates during breakfast and snacks was also associated with lower attractiveness ratings, although consumption of high-energy foods at these times was associated with higher attractiveness ratings.
The researchers noted some sex differences. Afternoon snacking in men specifically, high-energy intake yielded lower attractiveness ratings, while high-glycemic intake was linked to higher attractiveness ratings.
Admittedly, more research is needed with larger and more diverse participant sample sizes to get a better handle on just why refined carbohydrates bring on the uglies. But with these foods already considered not particularly healthy, their potential to undermine a person’s attractiveness offers up another sound reason to avoid them. The French team agrees.
“Facial attractiveness, an important factor of social interactions, seems to be impacted by immediate and chronic refined carbohydrate consumption in men and women,” they noted. Enough said.
