Okay, it may be a tad early to be thinking about getting our tan on (snow in 49 states -- what?!), but there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy glow. And according to a recent study, there’s a new way to get one in the middle of winter that doesn’t involve slathering a self-tanner all over your bod: Eat more carrots.

In a study by the University of St Andrews and the University of Bristol, people who ate a diet loaded with carotenoids (the stuff responsible for the coloring of veggies and fruits like carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and plums) developed a glow not unlike a suntan. The researchers also found that people thought the carrot-induced glow looked better than an actual suntan. Really!

We’re not sure how much of these carotenoid-rich foods you’d have to stuff your face with to maintain your “tan,” but we’re assuming these human lab rats didn’t eat a five-pound bag of carrots or anything. So we’ll give it a shot (though the mental image of us turning into a giant carrot, a la Violet Beauregarde and her blueberry body, is a little daunting). Ah, healthy eating with ulterior motives….We’re craving sweet-potato soup.

Plus, more from The Nest:

Easy Vegetarian Recipes
Grow Your Own Tomatoes
20 Healthy Weeknight Meals

-- Caitlin Brody

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