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You know eating fruit and vegetables is virtuous. But did you know it can also make you look good?
People who increased their intake over just six weeks developed a healthy glow and appeared more
attractive, researchers found.
Scientists at St Andrews University found eating them subtly increased yellow and red pigments in the
volunteers' skin.
They monitored the food intake of 35 people and took pictures of their faces, arms and hands using a
sensitive camera at the start, and after three and six weeks.
Increasing their intake of greens by 2.9 portions a day was found to make the person look more
healthy and an extra 3.3 portions could enhance their attractiveness, when their photographs were rated
by others.
Fruit and vegetables are rich in carotenoids, which are known to protect against cell damage from
pollution and UV rays, and can also prevent age-related diseases including heart disease and cancer.
But while it was known eating extreme amounts of certain vegetables such as carrots could turn skin
orange, it was not known a small increase was perceptible to others - and was seen as appealing.
A camera measured changes to the skin's redness, yellowness and lightness, and found it significantly
changed in people who naturally increased their intake. These changes were not evident at three weeks.
Using light sensors, the researchers showed these red and yellow hues were linked with the levels of
carotenoids in their skin.
There are hundreds of carotenoids but those thought to have the most dramatic effect are
lycopene-which gives tomatoes and red peppers their red colour - and beta-carotene found in carrots as
well as broccoli, squash, and spinach.
Skin colour is also affected by chemicals called polyphenols, found in apples, blueberries and
cherries, which cause blood rush to the skin surface.
1. According to the study, eating fruit and vegetables makes your skin more attractive for the
reason that _______ .
A. fresh fruits and vegetables contain lots of vitamins and minerals
B. yellow and red pigments are increased in the volunteers' skin
C. nutrition in fruit and vegetables is easily absorbed
D. fresh fruit and vegetables are rich in nutrition beneficial to shin
2. From Paragraph 4, we learn that pictures were taken ______ .
A. three times using a special camera every three weeks
B. twice using a sensitive camera every six weeks
C. by 35 people when they ate fruit and vegetables
D. by 35 people while being monitored to compare the changes
3. The word "appealing" (Paragraph 7) can best be replaced by ______ .
A. frightening
B. harmful
C. dangerous
D. attractive
4. The red and yellow colourss were related to _______ in their skin.
A. the contents of intake
B. the levels of carrots
C. the time of eating fruit and vegetables
D. the amount of carotenoids
5. Among hundreds of carotenoids, which are most effective?
A. tomatoes and red peppers
B. squash, and spinach
C. lycopene and beta-carotene
D. heir red colour and beta-carotene
6. The purpose of the article is to _______ .
A. tell people a new discovery
B. advise people to eat more fruit and vegetables
C. introduce a way to protect skin
D. list the functions of carotenoids to skin
