Black Breastfeeding | Breastfeeding...It's a Beautiful Thing

Send your breastfeeding photos to me at info (at) mommytoo (dot) com.

Fruit and Veggie Flavors Pass Through Breast Milk
Monday, December 3, 2007

According to new research released today breastfed babies typically won't have to be deceived into eating fruits and veggies like recent popular cookbooks encourage. Instead, if their mom regularly eats fruits and vegetables, the baby will acquire a taste for healthy foods.

During their first exposure to peaches, breast-fed infants ate more and for a longer period of time, compared to formula-fed infants. Questionnaires revealed that mothers of breast-fed infants ate more fruits than did formula-feeding mothers, suggesting that the enhanced peach acceptance of their infants might be attributed to increased exposure to fruit flavors through breast milk.

"It's a beautiful system," says Julie A. Mennella, PhD. "Flavors from the mother's diet are transmitted through amniotic fluid and mother's milk. So, a baby learns to like a food's taste when the mother eats that food on a regular basis."

I know a lot of breastfeeding skeptics downplay breastfeeding research, but this study seems conceivable and on-track. It makes perfect sense.

Labels: health

posted by Jennifer James @ 3:06 AM,

4 Comments:

At December 3, 2007 11:06 AM, Eilat said...: My son eats EVERYTHING! My favorite food while I was pregnant was lamb vindaloo. I craved spicy indian food while pregnant and ate lots of it while exclusively breastfeeding.
My son will finish a serving of chana masala like its nobody's business. And my husband makes it quite spicy, with lots of cilantro and garlic and chili peppers.

I know its just anecdotal, but I do not believe it is a coincidence.
At December 3, 2007 1:46 PM, Mommy Too! Magazine said...: That's funny. You liked spicy. I craved anything that had vinegar in it -- pickles, olives, hot sauce, Italian dressing, etc.

My girls eat any and everything, too. No picky eaters in my house. I love that!
At December 3, 2007 5:47 PM, star said...: another breastfeeding mom of a kid who eats everything. My 2.5 year old loves olives, bleu cheese, vinegary things, plus happily eats veggies and fruits, he just finished some cauliflower and cheese soup!
At December 5, 2007 8:26 PM, Elizabeth F. said...: I have a unique perspective in that I have 1 child whom I formula fed and 2 that were breastfed. In general, the 2 breastfed babies are much less picky eaters, willing to try new foods, and eat me out of house and home. Baby #1, who is now almost 7 will not try new things without a fight. he...he...but I always win!