Saying “no” to our children can be very difficult, especially when it comes to some of their favorite foods. Left to their own devices children will gladly live off ice cream, cupcakes and apple juice. It seems the more sugar the better. And just try giving them anything green, vegetables are rejected outright without a second look.
Many parents of children in my clinic are stumped by what to do with their “picky eaters.” And being a parent myself, I find providing good nutrition to my children incredibly frustrating at times.
It was to great relief and understanding that I came across an article from the scientific journal, Physiology and Behavior, entitled: “The sweetness and bitterness of childhood: Insights from basic research on taste preferences.” Through some very clever research, the authors explain that the taste buds of children are less sensitive to sweets, thus allowing them to eat tooth-rotting, super sweet foods without any repulsion; pretty much for every meal. In addition, the findings show that children are more sensitive to bitter tastes such as those of green vegetables. Finally we have a reason for the unreasonable behavior of our precious little ones: it’s in the biology!
Sure, these findings make sense. But what can we do with them to help our children stay healthy? For one thing, we really should compromise on which vegetables our children are willing to eat. Carrots, cucumbers, jicama, and even celery are nutritious and liked by many children. Notice that these are not bitter and are very crunchy. So if your child wants to eat ten cucumbers instead of a salad, take it.
Eating fruit such as watermelon, strawberries, grapes, peaches, and mangoes can hit enough of those sweet taste buds to satisfy even the pickiest of sweet-tooths. There is nothing in our biology that mandates our children eat cupcakes or ice cream. Fruits are the original decadent desserts and we should use them as much as possible to satiate that insatiable desire for sweets in our kids. Try to have a variety of fruits in your fridge so that the choice is between grape or watermelon rather than grape or cookies.
I would encourage every parent to avoid daily desserts and juices. These should be for special occasions such as birthday parties or outings. Remember parents: you have the power of the purse. In other words, it is totally in your control what you bring home from the store. Be brave and courageous with your choices. Your children may fuss and fight initially. But their desire for sweet foods will force them to peel that mandarin or bite into that watermelon. You may get some resistance initially, but your children will thank you later.
Here’s to our children’s health!
#KidsNutrition #PickyEaters #HealthyChoices #ParentingTips #TasteBudScience #EatYourVeggies #NaturalSweets #ChildhoodDiet #HealthyHabits #ParentingChallenges #FruitOverSugar #KidsAndVeggies #NutritionInsights #HealthyKidsHappyKids #ParentingWin
Comments