Many kids say they don't like the taste of broccoli. Now scientists think that there could be a good reason for those so-called"picky" eating habits of kids that drive mothers crazy.
When chemicals in broccoli mix with some people's saliva(唾液), they give out awful smells in the mouth. The study found that the more awful smells a child's mouth produces, the more they dislike the food.
But why do some people's mouths make more of these smells than other people's mouths? The team collected saliva samples(样本) from 98 pairs of parents and children. Every person's saliva has a microbiome(菌群) in it. The researchers believe this decides how strong the smell is when a person eats broccoli. Maybe our picky eaters are simply those who have the microbiome that increases awful smells.
The team studied the samples of the adults' and children' s saliva with broccoli. They found that people who were relatives produced almost the same amount(总量) of the smelly chemicals. Though parents and their children seemed to produce similar levels, the parents didn't mind the taste of broccoli as much as their kids did. The adults may have gotten used to it over time.
Experts believe picky eaters may come to enjoy the food they avoid if they try it enough times. Say your child hates broccoli— if you offer them broccoli enough times, in different forms, they may come to enjoy it in the end. What's more, children learn by observation. If they see you eating a balanced mix of healthy foods, they' ll be more likely to follow. However, watching you having lots of cola, snack foods, and dessert will make them wonder why they can't do the same.
