The Science Behind Picky Eaters @ The Motherhood

Do you have a child who is a picky eater? Most of us do and wonder why. Well, I am pleased to announce that The Motherhood will have Dr. Mennella to talk about the science of picky eaters today, Wednesday, July 15th at 3:30 EST. She will be answering our questions about how taste develops in babies, how a mom's diet effects her baby's taste buds, and ways to get kids to accept fruits and vegetables.


Courtesy of parenting.com

Dr. Mennella's research program focuses on the development of food and flavor preferences and the effects of alcohol and tobacco on women’s health and infant development. Her research includes: 1) how a mother's diet changes her milk and affects her children's food preferences; 2) ways to get infants and kids to eat fruits and vegetables; 3) how alcohol consumption affects breastfeeding; 4) how genes, experience and medical history affect individual taste and smell. Please read this excellent newsletter and learn more about where this research is taking place.

In addition, on July 21, NOVA scienceNow will air "The Science of Picky Eaters" on PBS stations around the country. This shows asks and tries to answer "Why is it that some kids will eat broccoli while others won´t even take a bite? It turns out it has a lot to do with their genes. Host Neil deGrasse Tyson sets out to find out more about the science behind our sense of taste. Along the way he finds out that you can´t understand taste without also getting into smell - the two senses go hand in hand when we eat - and both have pathways that lead directly to the brain. Just when Neil thinks he´s got it, he is thrown a curve ball, with the new discovery that receptors on taste cells are turning up in parts of the body no one ever imagined finding them!

I am thrilled to be a part of this discussion at The Motherhood and hope that you will all tune in, interact in the chat area and understand more about our little picky eaters.