UK: Babies eating carrots, other vegetables may turn orange
FoodHarmless Condition Frequently Mistaken for Jaundice

A new study has confirmed an old wives' tale - eating too many carrots can change the color of your skin. Infants eating diets rich in pureed vegetables and meats can consume large quantities of the nutrient beta-carotene, which can lead to carotenemia, a yellowish orange pigmentation of the skin. The study appears in Pediatric Dermatology.

The good news is that it generally corrects itself by the end of infancy. "In the infants we observed, the condition resolved itself spontaneously without intervention as they grew older and their diets became more diverse," says co-author S. Venkatesh Karthik, who collaborated with Dr. D.C. Davidson and Dr. D.I. Isherwood on the study. "Unfortunately, because of the yellowish skin tone, the condition is often mistaken for jaundice."

While carotenemia is sometimes associated with other, more serious conditions such as liver or kidney disease in adults, it is considered harmless in infants. However, in any case where parents observe pigmentation changes in their infant, it is always wise to contact their pediatrician.

The condition appears in infants during the weaning phase because carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, are found naturally in common first foods such as carrots, orange-colored fruits and green vegetables and as a colorant in prepared baby foods. Pureeing food releases even more carotenoids, which are absorbed quickly by the digestive system.

According to the authors, this condition is not becoming more common as more parents turn to organic, vegetable-rich diets for their babies. This indicates that a certain percentage of the population is simply more susceptible to the condition when provided with a diet rich in carotenoids.

Source: infozine.com