I am expecting my first baby in 6 months. I read somewhere that what I eat can shape the baby's taste bud development. Is that true? Is it ever too late to change a child's taste preferences?
The science of how we develop our taste preferences is still evolving, but so far there are some very interesting and exciting discoveries. Our taste preferences are influenced by both our genes and the environment. Which one of the two plays the biggest role remains uncertain (We cannot change our genes, but we can influence our environment). The good news is that in some cases the environment may overrule one's genes.
One of the world's leading scientific centers on how and why we smell and taste food is located at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia (See www.Monell.org). At this influential center, scientists study not only taste, but also how the smell of foods and chemicals shape our taste preferences.
What a mother eats while breastfeeding her baby can affect food choices the baby makes later in life - both good and bad. The theory is that via the amniotic fluid these preferences are shaped day-by-day. Recently, a study done at the Monell Center showed that when mothers deliberately eat healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables while still expecting, the chances of the baby liking fruits and vegetables more are significantly higher. Likewise, mothers who consume a lot of junk food while lactating set their babies up for desiring junk food.
Babies are born with a preference for sweet tasting foods and an aversion toward bitter tasting foods. The dislike for bitter foods, according to anthropologists, may be there to protect humans from ingesting poisonous plants. According to a study published in the May 1985 edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, sweet preferences are present early in life; an aversion toward bitter tasting foods may have a strong genetic foundation; a preference for salt only develops after age two; and children who have extra taste buds for bitter substances have a stronger desire for sweet foods.
Some children are supertasters: they taste things more intensely because they have more taste buds. This condition is predominantly due to their genetic make-up. There is a scientific test that can be done by exposing them to a bitter substance known as PROP (propylthiouracil), found for example in broccoli. Those children who are extra-sensitive to bitter tastes overreact to PROP. The good news is that many of these children become better with age, meaning they better tolerate bitter vegetables at an older age.
One of the world experts on supertasters is Dr. Linda Bartoshuk of Yale University. She told NPR (National Public Radio) during a recent interview that
one can test for the relative number of taste buds by swabbing the tongue with blue food coloring, and then examining the surface with a magnifying glass and a flashlight. The tongues of supertasters will appear as if covered in "pink tiles", while non-tasters have tongues that appear to have blue and pink polka dots.
Dr. Bartoshuk also explained that the reason people who dislike the taste of cilantro is because of the way they smell food and not because of their taste buds. In other words, they dislike the smell of cilantro more than those who enjoy eating it.
The link between our taste development and our sense of smell is quite strong, but it changes over our lifetime. For example, some children only develop a sense for smelling cherries by age 5, accompanied by a taste for that particular fruit.
Culture also plays a role. Some cultures expose their children to spicy foods at a very early age. The role of a pregnant or a lactating mom's intake of spicy foods has not been definitively studied yet.
Here are some solutions parents may want to consider if they are keen to influence their children’s taste preferences starting at an early age:
- Consume at least 10 servings per day of fruits and vegetables while pregnant or breastfeeding. Or consider taking a daily fruit and vegetable supplement (See www.juiceplus.com).
- Avoid eating very sweet or salty foods while nursing a baby.
- Read labels carefully (See www.nutritiondetectives.com).
- Be patient when trying multiple exposures of healthy foods (Experts suggest as many as 10 tries). Try to avoid coaxing the child into eating the food as it may actually make matters worse.
- Set a good example as a parent by eating healthy foods. Try putting out a nibble tray of fresh fruits and vegetables. Children are more likely to eat these foods when it is within their view and easily within reach.
- Delay the introduction of sweetened drinks for as long as possible (Some experts tell us that sweetened fruit juices play a major role in shaping the innate love for sweet foods).
Concerns about the high sugar content of cereals have been addressed by some food manufacturers. Over the past few years, the link between ingesting these overly sweetened cereals and obesity has been clearly established. More and more parents now know that a less sweet cereal makes a huge difference over time. Yet one can still find some very sweet cereals due to marketing strategies.
For those interested in healthy recipes appropriate for younger children, a very useful and practical book can come in handy: "Picky? Not Me, Mom!" by Karla Heintz.
Access www.healthykids.ca for a terrific new resource in helping families raise healthy children - HealthyKids with Dr. Nieman will optimize your child's complete health.
An informed parent is ... an empowered parent.