During the warmer months, many of us are hoping to get a healthy glow to give us that sun-kissed look. But of course, there is no healthy way to naturally tan from sunlight.
The health-conscious among us may opt for alternatives (hi, fake tan) so we can get the glow we’re craving without the health risks that come with intentionally exposing your skin to UV rays.
Some TikTok creators have taken this DIY attitude a little further, though, and instead of opting for self-tanning mousses and sprays, are eating several carrots a day to give what they’re describing as a ‘natural glow’ – with one user even claiming that eating carrots every day can change the undertone of your skin.
Can eating carrots change your skin tone?
Well, we had to get to the bottom of this orange mystery. I mean, what if we’ve been wasting money on fake tan all these years when we could have been living it up Bugs Bunny-style with just a few carrots a day?
We spoke with Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click Online Pharmacy, about this trend and whether it works – and if it’s even safe.
He told us that carrots contain a compound called beta-carotene, a pigment responsible for the orange colour of carrots and many other fruits and vegetables.
This compound may contribute to a slight skin colour change when eaten in large amounts.
He added that the body can convert this compound into vitamin A which is essential for healthy skin, and the development and repair of skin tissues. It also contains antioxidant properties which can help protect the skin against the damage caused by UV rays. Nice.
However, while this all sounds positive, he said the “tan” from eating high quantities of carrots is usually subtle and temporary and different to the one caused by sun exposure or using tanning products.
It might provide a slight golden or yellowish hue to the skin, he added.
Excessive consumption of beta-carotene can also cause a harmless condition called carotenemia, “where the skin turns slightly yellowish,” he explained.
We’ll probably stick to the self-tan for now.