Do you ever wonder why your child likes what they like to eat? Where do our flavor preferences come from and when do they begin to shape the things that we do and don’t like? Is it nature or is it nurture?

I am digging deeper into all of these questions with my guest on the show today, Dr. Julie Mennella, a biophysicist studying individual perceptions of flavor. She has made significant discoveries in her field, impacting the modern makeup of medicine and influencing dietary interventions.

Food is a basic biological necessity. We need to eat. So why is it that some children seem born to be picky eaters, while others will eat almost anything that you set in front of them? It turns out that the taste signals that we are biologically more attracted to are sweet and salty foods. Everything is starting to make more sense now, isn’t it?

As we discuss today, moms and dads have more control than they realize over their children’s preference in food, especially in the first few months to years.

[Download my FREE resource How to Nourish a Healthy Child! This checklist is designed to give you a clear path and the steps you need to take to raise a nourished child, inside and out.]

What You’ll Learn About Children’s Preference in Food:

• How children are biologically wired for certain flavor preferences.
• How you can use repeated exposure to teach your child to like something.
• What flavor training is. 
• How you can expose your child to a variety of flavors.
• What a big difference it makes to eat the foods you want your child to eat while you are pregnant.
• Why it is essential to continue routines in your eating even after childbirth.

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• Dr. Julie Mennella: About | LinkedIn | Email
• TNC 134: How Did I Get Here?
• OEHHA Report: Health Effects Assessment: Potential Neurobehavioral Effects of Synthetic Food Dyes in Children

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