Woah, woah, woah — I didn’t think I put on *that* much self-tanner. If you’ve noticed your skin has taken on an Oompah Loompah-like glow without the help of self-tanner or bronzer, you may be dealing with a case of “carotenemia.” Carotenemia occurs when you eat too many carrots, sweet potatoes, or too much pumpkin, thus causing your skin to take on an orangey hue.
When you eat orange veggies in excess, you’re ingesting a boatload of beta-carotene, the pigment that makes these veggies orange. According to University of California Santa Barbara’s ScienceLine, excess beta-carotene enters the bloodstream and eventually gets deposited in the skin. Your skin won’t stay orange forever, but it may take several months for the beta-carotene to break down. So, take your Oompah Loompah skin and make it fashion.
Infants are most commonly affected by carotenemia, and the discoloration usually appears on a child’s palms, feet, nose, or within the laugh lines.
Fun fact when I was a baby my mom gave me to many carrots and my skin turned orange, my hair never turned back
— Aidan Gould (@Aidan_Gould96) February 4, 2017
Dads telling me about when I was a baby they fed me too much carrot flavored baby food and my skin legit turned orange so they brought me to the doctor and all he said was “how about we lay off the carrots for a little while” only my parents 😂
— Beez (@BRIANAG24) September 25, 2018
As a sidenote, did you know if you eat too many carrots, you will ALSO deposit the excess carotenoids under your skin? I had a roommate whose baby brother loved carrots, and everyone would hand him one to shut him up. One day they noticed that the baby's nose was bright orange. pic.twitter.com/wOOzz2qbql
— Terri Nelson (@TerriDrawsStuff) June 30, 2018
Adults may experience carotenemia as well if they switch to a fruit- and vegetable-heavy diet. A Colombia University health blog estimates that adults may have to consume upward of 20 milligrams of beta-carotene-rich foods per day — that’s equal to about three large carrots. However, this number can fluctuate depending on one’s digestive system and body type.
And if you struggle with liver and kidney issues, and/or hypothyroidism, you may be at greater risk for turning orange. These conditions cause a faster beta-carotene buildup.
Carotenemia is mostly harmless, and besides a change of skin color, your health shouldn’t be affected. In fact, health professionals believe that beta-carotene is a form of Vitamin A, which aids your eye health and immune system.
How many carrots do you have to eat before you get carotenemia? Asking for someone who made a giant pot of carrot ginger soup this week and is too lazy to make anything else.
— Chelan (@freckles) March 15, 2018
🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕🥣
I had a fever dream that I was looking for a cost friendly way 2 get a nice tan for the winter so i ate 1000 carrots n developed carotenemia
— carmen!!!! (@carm3n_y0) January 8, 2017
But with that being said, one should visit with a doctor to make sure your orangey skin is not something more severe like jaundice or diabetes mellitus.
When it comes to carrots, the old saying “you are what you eat” is pretty true. Save yourself from months of orange skin and eat your carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin in moderation.
