Study Links Prenatal Exposure to Vegetable Flavors with Childhood Preferences

Kathmandu. Most small children wish they didn't have to eat vegetables. Children who set aside vegetables on one side of the plate while eating at home in the morning and evening are found in every house. 

When pasta or other snacks are sent in the school tiffin, the vegetables in them come back home. But have you ever thought why children push vegetables away like this? Why don't they eat most vegetables? Many universities have studied this subject. 

In a research study funded by Aston University, England, 2-year-old children were included. The report of this study was published in the Journal of Developmental Psychology on May 12. During the study, these children did not eat any vegetables. In fact, their mothers were given carrot and kale powder capsules during pregnancy. 

The lead researcher of the study said that the smell that children experience in the womb is imprinted in their long-term memory. Other studies have shown that children tend to like or dislike vegetables based on what they experience in the womb before they are born or what enters their bodies. The study did not address the extent to which genetics influences a child's liking or disliking of vegetables. 

How was the study done?

For the study, a cotton ball dipped in carrot or kale powder was brought to the child's nose. Some children smiled while smelling the cotton ball, others made faces. These reactions were recorded and examined on video. Children whose mothers consumed carrot powder during pregnancy appeared happy when smelling a cotton ball with carrot powder. They made faces when smelling a cotton ball with kale powder. 

In the womb, children breathe through their breath and mouth into the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus. Whatever the mother eats reaches the child through this fluid. 20 minutes after the mother eats, the baby starts to experience different tastes and smells. 

According to one study, children who were given kale powder during pregnancy liked it after birth, despite its bitter taste. This study seeks to link a child's liking or disliking of vegetables with what the mother eats during pregnancy. 

(Disclaimer - This article has been prepared from online sources for general information.)