Five-a-day for better heath trust
2008-01-17
IT is funny how moms always complain that it is difficult to persuade their children to eat vegetables and fruit, yet they themselves don’t often eat the recommended five servings a day. The 5-a-Day for better health trust would like to encourage parents to be role models for their children and make vegetables and fruits a part of their daily diet in order to promote healthy eating habits from early on in life when the benefits are greater and long-term credits start being accrued. It is common knowledge that what moms eat during and after pregnancy has an influence on their child’s choice of foods. So, if mom is selective of the vegetables and fruits she eats then little Suzy is likely to be a fussy eater too and if dad refuses to eat his broccoli, then there is little hope of Thabo either enjoying it or even asking for seconds. Now there is new research that has nutritional experts excited. Jane Badham, well-known dietician and CEO of the 5-a-Day for better health trust says, “Psychophysical studies have shown that children’s first exposure to various food flavours occurs before birth - intrauterine, therefore flavours such as garlic or chili included in the mother’s diet will alter the odour of the amniotic fluid, which is swallowed and inhaled by the foetus. “Since the flavour of breast milk also reflects mom’s dietary choices, continued exposure to these flavours after birth will bias the child’s flavour preference after birth, which is good news for the introduction of vegetables and fruit.” Badham explains, “These studies show that moms-to-be, who include a wide range of vegetables and fruits in their diet will be positively influencing their child’s likelihood of eating and enjoying the same vegetables and fruit when they are weaned.” Further research has shown that these early feeding experiences may have long-term consequences.
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