After the sun-kissed look? UK researchers have found that eating large amounts of fruit and vegetables can give you that golden glow you are after, the UK's Daily Mail reported.

Lead researcher Dr Ian Stephen, from the University of Bristol said those who ate bigger portions of fruit and vegetables a day had more of a golden, yellow skin colour.

"Most people in the West think that the best way to improve your skin colour is to get a suntan," he said.

"But our research shows that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is actually more effective."

The scientists, who carried out their research at laboratory at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, used a spectrophotometer to measure how light in different parts of the spectrum is absorbed by the skin.

Those with a healthier glow had a higher presence of carotenoids, which are antioxidants that can be found in yellow and red peppers, spinach, apricots and melons.

The scientists then explored the relationship between skin tone and attractiveness.

Using specialist software the researchers manipulated the colour of 51 faces to appear to have either more or less carotenoids, meaning more or less glow to the face.

Participants were then asked to adjust the skin colour between carotenoids skin colour and suntanned skin colour, to what they considered healthy.

The results showed that when given the choice participants preferred those enhanced through carotenoids skin colour.

"Our study shows that not only do people use colour cues to judge how healthy other individuals are, but they are accurate when they make those judgements," said the University of St Andrews' Professor David Perrett.

"This is important because evolution would favour individuals who choose to form alliances or mate with healthier individuals over unhealthy individuals."

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