Many social media users claim that eating large amounts of carrots or drinking carrot juice can give the skin a natural tan.
However, nutrition experts say that while excessive carrot consumption can alter skin color, it does not produce a true sun-kissed tan.
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Registered dietitian Beth Czerwony explained that eating several carrots every day may gradually change the skin’s appearance because carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a natural pigment and precursor to vitamin A.
According to Czerwony, consuming 10 to 20 milligrams of beta-carotene daily is enough for many people to notice a gradual change in skin tone.
This is roughly equivalent to eating five medium-sized carrots per day, although it typically takes several weeks before the effect becomes visible.
Excessive intake of beta-carotene, however, can lead to carotenemia, a harmless condition in which the skin develops a yellow-orange tint rather than a bronze tan.
Returning to a normal skin tone may take several months after reducing beta-carotene consumption.
Dr. Eva Rawlings Parker, assistant professor of dermatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, explained that part of the beta-carotene consumed is converted by the liver into retinol, an important form of vitamin A.
When consumed in large quantities, excess carotenoids accumulate in the bloodstream and are deposited in the skin, causing the characteristic yellow-orange discoloration.
Carrots are not the only source of beta-carotene, many fruits and vegetables including sweet potatoes, bell peppers, cantaloupe, mangoes, and apricots also contain high levels of the compound.
Turmeric can also affect skin color due to naturally occurring compounds called curcuminoids, which may give the skin a yellowish hue.
However, excessive turmeric consumption has been linked to potential health risks.
What Is the Safest Way to Get a Bronzed Look?
Dr. Parker advises against using tanning beds under any circumstances.
"Whether it's from natural sunlight or artificial ultraviolet (UV) light, a tan is evidence of DNA damage in skin cells, this damage contributes to photoaging, including wrinkles and dark spots, and increases the risk of skin cancer" she said.
Instead, dermatologists recommend using sunless self-tanning products that contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), an ingredient approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
DHA temporarily darkens the outer layer of the skin by reacting with amino acids on its surface, providing a bronzed appearance without exposure to harmful UV radiation.
