Women Prefer the Smell of Men Who Eat Healthier

Guys have sort of a weird new reason to opt for the salad over the nachos: In a new study in the journal Evolution & Human Behavior, researchers found that women prefer the smell of sweat given off by men who eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to men who eat a bunch of carbs—in other words, women prefer to smell the healthier dudes, reports NPR. Men with a meat-heavy diet ranked higher than those with carb-heavy diets, but smelled "more intense," per NPR. "We've known for a while that odor is an important component of attractiveness, especially for women," says a study co-author.

The scientists tested this by using a spectrophotometer to shine a light on the male participants' skin and measure the color that is reflected back, which turns out to be a pretty good gauge of diet. They also had the men complete a survey about their eating habits, and finally put on a clean shirt and exercise. Then women were asked to blindly rate the resulting sweat samples, and they rather consistently "found that men who ate more vegetables smelled nicer," the co-author says. In less diplomatic terms, "carbs are making you stink, man," writes Clay Skipper at GQ, concluding, "an apple a day can keep the doctor away, but it turns out it can also maybe help get you laid." (Apparently celery works pheromone wonders.)