{"id":59166,"date":"2026-05-18T08:59:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T05:59:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/findmykids.org\/blog\/?p=59166"},"modified":"2026-05-18T09:07:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T06:07:11","slug":"children-start-loving-vegetables-while-still-in-the-womb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/findmykids.org\/blog\/en\/children-start-loving-vegetables-while-still-in-the-womb","title":{"rendered":"Children Start Loving Vegetables While Still in the Womb"},"content":{"rendered":"

<strong>Children Start Loving Vegetables While Still in\u00a0the Womb<\/p>\n

And hating them, too!<\/span><\/p>\n

Most parents know the struggle of\u00a0trying to\u00a0feed their child something green: broccoli disguised as\u00a0\u201ctiny trees\u201d; spinach drowned in\u00a0cheese sauce; zucchini so\u00a0thoroughly hidden in\u00a0fritters that not even a\u00a0private detective could find\u00a0it.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u00a0turns out that a\u00a0love\u00a0\u2014 or\u00a0hatred\u00a0\u2014 of\u00a0vegetables takes shape long before a\u00a0child is\u00a0born.<\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers at Durham University in the UK spent<\/a> three years following children whose mothers ate cabbage and carrots during pregnancy. To be precise, one group of women was given capsules containing carrot powder, while the other received capsules with kale powder.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ultrasound images were remarkably clear: when a\u00a0mother took a\u00a0carrot capsule, the fetus made what scientists call a\u00a0\u201claughter face\u201d\u00a0\u2014 essentially, a\u00a0smile. Kale, on\u00a0the other hand, produced a\u00a0\u201ccry face\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three weeks after birth, the babies were given cotton swabs soaked in\u00a0carrot or\u00a0kale solution to\u00a0smell. Babies from the \u201ccarrot group\u201d reacted calmly to\u00a0carrots but grimaced at\u00a0kale. Babies from the \u201ckale group\u201d\u00a0\u2014 the opposite.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the children turned three, the researchers repeated the experiment and got the very same results. Children whose mothers ate carrots in\u00a0late pregnancy still respond more favourably to\u00a0carrots than to\u00a0kale. And vice versa.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u00a0can see that children remain more favourable towards the vegetable they were introduced to\u00a0in\u00a0the womb.\u201d
\n\u2014\u00a0Professor Nadja Reissland<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What You Can Do<\/b><\/p>\n

If\u00a0you are currently pregnant or\u00a0planning to\u00a0be<\/b>, Professor Reissland recommends not avoiding difficult flavours in\u00a0late pregnancy: bitter vegetables (broccoli, spinach, kale), sour, spicy\u00a0\u2014 all of\u00a0it\u00a0helps shape the baby\u2019s future flavour map.<\/span><\/p>\n

If\u00a0your child is\u00a0already born<\/b> and spits out anything green\u00a0\u2014 it\u2019s not too late. Research shows that children need an\u00a0average of\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a015\u00a0exposures to\u00a0a\u00a0new flavour before it\u00a0becomes familiar. Most parents give up\u00a0after the third or\u00a0fourth attempt. Don\u2019t force it\u00a0\u2014 just place the vegetables on\u00a0the plate next to\u00a0something your child likes. Sooner or\u00a0later, they\u2019ll try it\u00a0on\u00a0their own.<\/span><\/p>\n

What definitely doesn\u2019t work.<\/b> Manipulation (\u201ceat your carrots and you\u2019ll get a\u00a0sweet\u201d) reinforces the idea that vegetables are a\u00a0punishment and sweets are a\u00a0reward. Camouflage (zucchini in\u00a0fritters, spinach in\u00a0smoothies) solves today\u2019s problem but won\u2019t teach a\u00a0child to\u00a0eat vegetables\u00a0\u2014 they don\u2019t even know they had any.<\/span><\/p>\n

What works best.<\/b> Eating together. Children mirror their parents\u2019 eating habits. If\u00a0you enjoy your salad, the chances that your child will grow to\u00a0love spinach and start asking for broccoli at\u00a0lunch go\u00a0up\u00a0significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t