Expectant Mothers can Influence Dietary Habits of Babies

A new study conducted by researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia suggests that expectant mothers can influence the dietary habits of their babies depending on what they eat when they are pregnant. Researchers led by Dr Julie Mennella conducted the experiment on three groups of expectant mothers. The first group was made to drink carrot juice throughout their pregnancy, the second group drank carrot juice while they were breast feeding and the third group completely avoided carrots.

When given carrot flavored cereal, the researchers found that the children from the first two groups ate more of the cereal with fewer number of “negative faces” compared to the third group.

“Things like vanilla, carrot, garlic, anise, mint, these are some of the flavors that have been shown to be transmitted to amniotic fluid or mother's milk. The babies who had experienced carrot in amniotic fluid or mother’s milk ate more of the carrot-flavored cereal”, Dr Mennella said.


Source-Medindia