Young Woman Turns Orange from Eating a Kilogram of Carrots Daily

Vilda Ekestena, a 21-year-old from Alingsås, Sweden, grew up on a farm with easy access to carrots. She has red hair and fair skin. In the past, she would quickly get sunburned within five minutes in the sun.

Vilda shared her story with Swedish media. She developed an excessive carrot-eating habit during high school. To improve her focus while studying, she began munching on carrots.

She consumed about one kilogram of carrots daily for two to three years, which she admits was excessive. When she visited the doctor, her orange skin shocked medical professionals. They suspected liver issues due to her unusual skin tone.

After several tests, doctors found her liver values were normal. Eventually, a doctor suggested a blood test, which revealed Vilda had an overproduction of beta-carotene. This was a result of her carrot consumption, leading to her orange coloring.

Vilda has reduced her carrot intake. While her skin is no longer entirely orange, she still has orange tones in her hands and feet. She notices that if she stops eating carrots, the tint fades; however, consuming them again can bring back the color.

She humorously noted that her body has built up a significant store of beta-carotene over the years, resulting in quick color changes from eating just a few carrots.

Beta-carotene, the pigment responsible for the orange color in carrots, can help protect against sunburn. Vilda has experienced this benefit. After high carrot consumption, she became more tolerant to the sun. Her skin no longer burns as easily, as demonstrated during her year in Australia.

Despite her sun protection, Vilda has faced challenges in her modeling career. Her skin color has led to lost job opportunities. She often receives inquiries about her use of self-tanner because of her distinctive skin tone.

She recounts a notable campaign where she was considered for a job but was rejected due to her orange hands. Vilda takes this in stride, now choosing to forego eating carrots for a while before modeling jobs.