How many carrots do you need to eat to turn orange?

It would take a lot of carrots to turn your skin yellow/orange. It appears that the carotene is best absorbed if the dark green and orange foods are cookied, pureed or mashed. This breaks open the membranes of the plant cells and makes the carotene more absorbable. Foods known to cause carotenemias include, green beans, supplements,
papaya, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce,squash, apples, peaches, prunes, tomatoes, yams, butter, eggyolks, milk, and yellow corn.

I found one case study of a 32 year old female who had yellow discoloration of her skin and she was eating a dozen oranges every day along with greens and sweet potatoes. After she modified her diet the skin reverted back to her normal color.

Source:Indian J Dermatol 54; Supplement, January-March 2009

Can Eating Carrots Change Your Skin Color?

Yes, high amounts of a pre-cursor to vitamin A called carotene can cause a change in the color of your skin. Before you think of this as a bad thing consider recent research published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour which found that eating foods high in carotenoids — a nutrient found in some fruits, leafy greens and root vegetables — gave them a healthy glow that rivaled a sun tan and made them more attractive in tests.

People with diets high in fruits and vegetables had demonstrably yellower skin, the researchers found. But the scientists weren't sure if the veggie glow would be perceived differently than one achieved by sitting in the sun. So they asked study participants to look at 51 different Caucasian faces and adjust the skin tones to the hues, ranging from those typical of a day in the sun to the glow from a carotenoid-rich diet, that they thought looked healthiest.

Results? The students found yellower faces more attractive and healthy looking.


Source: http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/12/study-can-a-veggie-rich-diet-make-you-more-beautiful/#ixzz1BzTRtJ5O