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Will my baby grow up to be dark or fair skinned?

The baby skin color is a function of the genetic make up of the mother and the father

1. If both parents are of Indian origin, the baby will be brown skinned.

2. If one parent is of Indian origin, and the other parent is Caucasian, the baby will maple cream skinned (lighter brown). Both parents have different dominant genes, so the off-spring will express a combination gene.

3. If one parent is of Indian origin, the other parent is Black American, the baby may be chocolate brown skinned. Both parents have different dominant genes, so the off-spring will express a combination gene.

There are two aspects: skin color and skin tone.

Skin Color

The further a person's ancestors lived away from the equator for more than 500 years, fairer is the skin of the person. This becomes the genetic component. Compare the skin color of people  from South India (closer to equator) versus the people from North India (away from the equator).

The skin has two types of pigments called Melanin: Pheomelanin ( reddish yellow pigments), and Eumelanin (Brown pigment). The Genes determine how much of these pigments are produced.

Skin Tone

The skin tone is not genetic. Body's interaction with UV rays in the sunlight determines the skin tone. The UV rays signal the optic nerve, in turn it signals the pituitary gland to release more melanin. As melanin levels rises, the skin becomes darkened to protect itself from the sun.

This is what is normally seen as tanning. As the children grow and start going out in the sun to play, or visit their grand parents specially in South India for an extended time, the effect is very visible. The effect is reversible just like tanning when the exposure to UV rays is reduced.

Can I eat foods during pregnancy to effect the baby's skin color?

Skin color is genetic. No food can change the genetic make up of your child. After birth, skin tone is effected by the exposure to UV light from the sun. Do not prevent your child from being exposed to sunlight. The UV light is the source of Vitamin D  needed to let the bones grown in growing years.

This is just a myth that saffron and coconut taken during pregnancy will lighten the skin color of the un-born.