It’s often hard to get kids (and adults) to eat leafy greens, but they’re fresh study Outside the UK it is suggested that flavor preference may develop well before infancy.
This month it published a study of 100 pregnant women and provided the first ever look How do embryos react to flavour? in real time.
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Using ultrasound technology, researchers in England examined the facial reactions of fetuses exposed to the flavors of carrots and turnips. Fetuses exposed to carrots appeared to smile or laugh, while those exposed to cabbage appeared to frown or frown.
The researchers divided pregnant women into three groups: 35 women who took a capsule containing the equivalent of one medium carrot, 34 women who took a capsule equivalent to 100 grams of turnip, and 30 women who ate neither.
Powdered versions of foods in capsule form were used during the study to prevent the vegetable’s flavor from becoming diluted in the mother’s body. (One researcher also said that many women participate in the study Couldn’t stand the taste of turnip.)
All fetuses between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation were studied.
Twenty minutes after consumption, the research team completed 4D ultrasound scans to display the fetus’s facial expressions. Fetuses exposed to carrots showed ‘laughing face’ responses, while fetuses exposed to cabbage showed a higher prevalence of ‘noisy face’ responses.
Four-dimensional ultrasound scan of a fetus exposed to islets. FM6 stands for “cheek lift tool,” while FM12 stands for “lip angle puller.”
Researchers at Durham University in northeastern England
Four-dimensional ultrasound scan of a single fetus exposed to cabbage. FM11 stands for “nasal furrow,” while FM16 stands for “depressor of the lower lip.”
Researchers at Durham University in northeastern England
Pre-existing studies have found that the amniotic fluid surrounding fetuses can have different smells and tastes depending on it Pregnancy diet. While fetuses do not eat directly, they inhale and swallow the amniotic fluid in the womb.
The study researchers now suggest, based on these findings, that frequent exposure to certain flavors in the womb may be a factor in determining food preferences after birth.
The idea is that if a fetus is routinely exposed to a plant like turnip while in the womb, it may be more likely to tolerate or enjoy it later in life.
More research is still needed to determine whether fetuses are conclusively able to experience feelings of likes and dislikes, but this is a start that may help reveal why some foods like some foods and others don’t.
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