Boiled kale has around 10625 mcg of beta-carotene per 130 g (1 cup chopped). Frozen, then boiled kale has 11470 mcg for the same amount. Raw kale has 948 mcg per 16 g a cup. So eating one or two extra servings of kale can help us achieve the tan we dream of. 12) Lettuce The Carrot cream and oil both contain carrot oil, which is a naturally active tan accelerator. This also stimulates your skin to tan better and faster in the sun/ on a sunbed. Nuts, seeds, fish and other sources of healthy fats also provide excellent amounts of vitamin E, a nutrient with wonderful emollient properties, crucial for beautiful, healthy skin. One published case report (where researchers talk about one patient’s case) found eating around 3 kilograms of carrots per week (about seven large carrots a day) induced skin colour changes. Once a beta-carotene containing food is digested, special cells in the gut break it into two molecules of retinol (also known as vitamin A). This vitamin A is then used in various critical bodily functions such as vision, reproduction, immunity and growth.

That said, studies have not shown that supplements have the same effect as eating fresh vegetables.Research has shown that having high blood levels of carotenoids — including beta carotene — may reduce the risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration by as much as 35 percent. Baswan SM, Klosner AE, Weir C, et al. Role of ingestible carotenoids in skin protection: A review of clinical evidence. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2021;37:490-504. doi:10.1111/phpp.12690. To see the tanning effects you’ll need around 50 000IU of Beta Carotene per day or 1-2 glasses of freshly squeezed carrot juice. How long does it take to see the effects of the Beta Carotene Tan?

Canned sweet potatoes provide us with 13308 mcg of beta-carotene per a 255 g cup. However, baked sweet potatoes with skin contain an estimated of 23018 mcg of beta-carotene for every 200 g. A cup of mashed, boiled sweet potatoes (328 g) has around 30976 mcg of the carotene. Overall, sweet potatoes rank high on the most wanted foods for tanning list. 7) Tomato sauces and green tomatoes

Carrot juice for a tan: Here's how the test goes

In addition, people who eat plenty of food that contains beta carotene might have a lower risk for certain kinds of cancer, including lung cancer.

This accounts for the differences between preformed vitamin A (found in animal foods and supplements) and provitamin A carotenoids like beta carotene. In addition to serving as a dietary source of provitamin A, beta carotene functions as an antioxidant.

If you have fair skin then building up your tan two weeks before going on holiday is recommended by going on a sunbed. Otherwise, you can apply our products to your skin over an SPF cream whilst on holiday, they will still work well and you will still get a great tan. Rutjes AWS, et al. (2018). Vitamin and mineral supplementation for maintaining cognitive function in cognitively healthy people in mid and late life. DOI: Carotenoids have been demonstrated as an eye-sight protecting agent [ 99]. Such carotenoids are categorized as pro-vitamin A comprised of the unsubstituted β-ionone ring (γ-carotene, α-carotene, β-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin) which can be converted into retinal [ 100]. Two dietary carotenoids, namely zeaxanthin and lutein, are macular pigments found in the human retina [ 101]. Macular pigments exert antioxidant properties, which can absorb short wavelengths and high energy blue light, and subsequently protect the retina from photochemical damage [ 86]. This pigment can protect against UV-induced peroxidation and neutralize ROS [ 101]. Make these foods your 5-a-day! You don’t need to over-eat them, just eat what you feel is enough and always listen to your body. It is best to get these foods fresh in their natural form rather than in supplement or tablet form. Beta carotene supplements found in health food stores is something we cannot recommend for several reasons. First, you can’t be sure whether the dosage is right for you personally and you may end up turning orange if you’ve taken too much. And second, things such as beta carotene are absorbed and utilised more efficiently in your body when ingested in their natural state because there are other nutrients in these food items that all work together to maximise their absorption and their benefits within you. Wu J, Cho E, Willett WC, Sastry SM, Schaumberg DA. Intakes of lutein, zeaxanthin, and other carotenoids and age-related macular degeneration during 2 decades of prospective follow-up. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2015;133:1415-1424. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2015.3590.

The top 20 foods richest in beta-carotene we could consider eating when looking to tan are: 1) Apricots.Not only does Beta Carotene give your skin a radiant orange undertone but it also is a strong antioxidant and will help slow down the aging processes in your body. If thats not enough, it will convert into vitamin A in your body which will then boost collagen production in your skin. What are the best sources of Beta Carotene Sweet raw red peppers contain 2420 mcg of beta-carotene per 149 g. Boiled sweet red peppers have 2059 mcg for every 135 g. Yu N, et al. (2015). Association of dietary vitamin A and β-carotene intake with the risk of lung cancer: A meta-analysis of 19 publications.