Xanthosis is the yellow discoloration of the skin caused by very high blood levels of beta-carotene — the orange pigment abundant in carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins. Eating large quantities of carotene-rich foods over weeks overloads the blood, and the pigment deposits in the skin, most noticeably on the palms, soles, and nose. Unlike jaundice, it spares the whites of the eyes, which is how doctors tell them apart. The condition is harmless and reverses when intake falls — it is sometimes called carotenaemia. It appears in fad diets heavy on carrot juice and in infants fed excessive carrot purée. A curiosity of nutrition, not a disease.