Want radiant, glowing skin? Eat this

They keep the doctor away, but they may also raise your chances of getting a date.

A new British study suggests that eating more fruits and vegetables can give your skin a healthy glow within weeks – news you may want to pass on to your veggie-hating, yet style-conscious, teen.

Building on previous research, scientists at the University of St. Andrews say they found that eating at least two extra portions of food such as carrots and tomatoes was enough to improve skin colour – an effect they reported across various ethnicities. Researchers say the orangey-red carotenoid pigments in vegetables and fruit are what make the difference – and they recommend five servings a day.

"Most of us know we should eat plenty of fruit and [vegetables] yet we are not sufficiently motivated to actually go ahead and eat a healthy diet," said Ross Whitehead, a St Andrews researcher, in a press release. "Knowing you are going to look more attractive in a few weeks may be more persuasive than the promise of health benefits later in life."

In the study, researchers followed 35 students for a week, measuring natural changes in their diet and skin colour. They recorded how long it took for a change in their appearance to be noticed by others.

Apparently the effects last only as long as you're munching those carrots: While participants developed a healthier golden skin tone when their diet improved, they lost it once they reverted back to old dietary habits.

Becoming more attractive might be a good thing for governments to promote when encouraging citizens to eat their veggies, researchers suggest. "The message that a good diet improves skin colour could improve health across the globe," concluded David Perrett, the professor who supervised the study, in the press release.

So save your money on all those fancy skin products. All you need is a bag of carrots.

Why isn't knowing fruits and vegetables are good for you enough of an incentive to change eating habits? Do you think knowing they may improve appearance do the trick?