Attention, males of the world: if you’re looking to attract a female partner, try changing your diet first.
A study from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia says women are most attracted to the sweaty scent of men who eat fruits and veggies. The study also claims that fat, meat, egg and tofu intake were tied to pleasant-smelling sweat and a carb-rich diet was linked to a more intense, less-pleasant sweat smell.
“We’ve known for a while that odor is an important component of attractiveness, especially for women,” Ian Stephen, who helped conduct the small study, said in a recent interview with NPR. “Women basically found that men who ate more vegetables smelled nicer.”
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Stephen said that during the study, the scientists asked male participants to record their diet, and then participate in two methods used to determine which males had the best-smelling sweat.
In the first test, scientists used a tool called a spectrophotometer, which can measure a person’s diet by flashing a light on it, to look for carotenoid-rich skin. Participants with high levels of carotenoid-rich skin were eating a lot of fruits and veggies. And according to the study, scientists determined that “yellower more carotenoid-rich skin is found to be more attractive.”
For a second level of testing, participants were given new T-shirts and asked to work out. After they completed their workout, a few not-so-lucky women smelled the men’s shirts to determine who smelled the best. Male participants who ate a diet of fruits and veggies were the clear winners.
Sounds like we’ll all take an extra helping of fruits and veggies tonight. Head here to learn more about the study.