What’s in the Viral Retinol Carrot Salad, and Why Is TikTok So Obsessed?

You are what you eat may be a cliche, but it does hold some truth, according to dermatologist Gloria Lin: “A healthy well-balanced diet can directly impact the skin.”

In fact, the skin is the most visible reflection of what we eat, adds Nisha Desai, MD. That’s because skin is our largest organ, and what we consume directly impacts it—and fast. 

“Research suggests that changes in our diet can impact the gut microbiome and overall skin health within just one day,” says Mary Stewart, registered dietitian and the founder of Cultivate Nutrition. “Our gut microbiome and specific nutrients team up to help to keep our skin feeling hydrated, radiant, and resilient. A balanced diet with adequate vitamins, minerals, and key nutrients play a role in our skin’s ability to age gracefully.”

Because of this, it’s not too surprising to see recipe developers like @alexawhatsfordinner and @tamsskyn promoting what they’ve deemed the “Retinol Carrot Salad.” After this skin-specific recipe took off on social media, we couldn’t resist turning to the pros for the truth: Could a salad, or can any dietary strategy, really replace the potent anti-aging agent retinol?

About the Retinol Carrot Salad

In case it hasn’t crossed your feed yet, the Retinol Carrot Salad gets its name from the array of skin-supporting ingredients. It’s essentially ribbons of carrots—you could craft them with a vegetable peeler or spiralizer—tossed in an Asian-inspired dressing featuring soy sauce, rice vinegar, a generous amount of garlic, lime juice, and sesame oil. Sesame seeds act as the crunchy, nutty garnish.

You might remember from grade school science class that carrots are rich in beta-carotene. This vitamin is not only beneficial for eyesight, but it’s also incredible for the skin. 

“Vitamin A actively supports the maintenance of a healthy complexion—improving skin hydration and skin tone,” Stewart says. “Half a cup of carrots provides 51% of our recommended dietary allowance for vitamin A. That means if you enjoy just 1 cup of carrots, you’ll hit your vitamin A needs and support the health of your skin—and body.”

In addition to root vegetable ribbons, the salad contains sulfur-strong garlic, which is “known to support collagen production and skin elasticity,” according to Stewart. The dressing’s sesame oil and seeds provide antioxidant properties and B vitamins, “known to reduce inflammation and improve skin complexion,” she adds.

Can the Retinol Carrot Salad Reduce Skin Aging?

There’s no doubt that the viral Retinol Carrot Salad recipe contains skin-friendly foods, but the claim that it can impact skin as powerfully as a prescription retinol cream might be a bit of a stretch, our experts conclude. 

This all comes down to a bit of science related to bioavailability: the way our body is able to process, absorb, and put nutrients to good use. Animal sources of vitamin A, including dairy, egg yolks, and liver, tend to be easier for our bodies to use than plant sources, such as spinach, papaya, and carrots. 

“Retinol is a preformed vitamin A that comes from animal foods,” Dr. Desai tells BHG. “Carrots and other plant foods contain beta-carotene, a provitamin A that’s bioconverted to vitamin A in our gastrointestinal tract.”

The absorption rate for plant sources of vitamin A varies based on genetics, how the food is prepared (cooking actually helps produce release more beta-carotene than having it raw), gut health, and other factors. But on average, our bodies are able to use about 5% to 65% of the beta-carotene we consume. Our guts don’t magically convert 1 milligram of beta carotene into 1 milligram of vitamin A; we lose some along the way. In fact, we may need about 12 times more provitamin A to actually produce the desired level of vitamin A (aka retinol), Dr. Lin says. 

“The higher the dose of beta-carotene, the lower the conversion rate—so the more you consume at one time, then the less it actually gets converted into the retinol you might be aiming to get,” Dr. Lin continues. And you can definitely overdo it: “Excess amounts of beta-carotene can actually cause yellow-orange skin discoloration called carotenemia. Extreme vitamin A intake can also be toxic or lead to birth defects in pregnancy.”

While the viral Retinol Salad is a tasty way to add vegetables, fiber, and nutrients to your diet, it’s likely not be the best way to get the retinol benefits for the skin. This is due to the aforementioned raw factor, the vitamin-conversion rate, and the fact that retinol creams are often applied topically—where their superpowers can sink in with nothing else getting in the way. 

“Topical retinoids act directly on the skin that it is applied to, so it can bypass the difficulties with absorption, conversion, and transport,” Dr. Lin says. “These can help with anti-aging by reducing fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin texture, and promoting collagen production.”

7 Anti-Aging Diet Strategies That Actually Work for Your Skin

It’s no magic pill, but in moderation, this Carrot Salad can be part of an overall skin-supporting lifestyle, all our experts agree. Feel free to enjoy it a couple times each week, in tandem with the following healthy habits that may help promote glowy, younger-looking skin—and don’t forget the SPF!

1. Aim for Variety

When we eat a variety of animal-and plant-based sources of vitamin A, “we provide our skin with a holistic approach to skin nourishment,” Stewart says. Other sources of vitamin A include sweet potatoes, milk, cantaloupe, ricotta cheese, eggs, and salmon. Diversity isn’t just key when it comes to this vitamin, though. Dr. Lin recommends a balanced diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein for optimal skin and gut health.

2. Seek out C, E, and K

Antioxidants like vitamin C, E, and K help prevent oxidative stress caused by free radicals, Stewart notes. In other words, antioxidants act as “armor” against damage to the cells—including from sources like the sun.

“By regularly adding foods rich in these vitamins to your daily routine, you may prevent premature skin aging, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and boost collagen production, leading to firmer skin,” she says. Almonds, bell peppers, broccoli, citrus fruits, hazelnuts, kale, spinach, strawberries, and sunflower seeds are all nourishing options, Stewart and Dr. Desai tell us.

3. Fuel up with Healthy Fats

“Omega-3 fatty acids can be helpful to reduce inflammation in the skin and improve hydration,” Dr. Lin says. “These healthy fats have actually been shown to be helpful to counteract the dryness of oral retinoids.” Nuts and seeds are often rich in omega-3s.

But if you’re into seafood, Stewart suggests that you go fish: “Foods like salmon, tuna, oysters, shrimp, and crab contain minerals like zinc, selenium, copper, iron, and iodine, too. These minerals are important to maintain skin vitality and to slow the pace of aging.”

4. Pump Up your Protein Levels

Whether you get it from fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, dairy, poultry, meat, or otherwise, “protein intake is important to help with collagen production and maintain skin elasticity and firmness,” Dr. Lin says.

5. Feast on Fermented Foods

Kimchi, sauerkraut, cottage cheese, yogurt, and other fermented foods have been shown to “play a role in improving our skin health through the gut-skin axis,” Stewart says. (If you spend any time on the internet, you know there’s an abundance of innovative ways to incorporate cottage cheese into your diet.) “They produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that may, in turn, maintain skin health.”

6. Limit Alcohol, Caffeine, Added Sugars, and Ultra-Processed Foods

At high levels, alcohol and caffeine can promote dehydration, Dr. Lin explains (so perhaps make the espresso martini a special occasion). Certain processed foods and excess added sugars tend to be pro-inflammatory and increase the skin aging process as well.

“Processed and other pro-inflammatory foods may create more inflammation in the gut leading to downstream issues in the skin through the gut-skin axis,” she adds. “The inflammation leaks through the GI tract into the bloodstream, and then travels to the skin.”

7. Drink Plenty of Water

Dr. Desai advises her patients that hydration is vital to maintain the skin’s elasticity. Sipping on water throughout the day and consuming water-rich foods is one of the easiest ways to give your skin (and body) a boost.

For personalized nutrition advice, seek out a registered dietitian, and for skin solutions tailored to you, speak with a dermatologist.