• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

Healthy Eating Habits Programmed During Infancy

A new study proposes that our earliest eating experiences establish dietary habits for the rest of our lives. If we eat healthy, “complex” foods in infancy, these tastes become programmed as our favorite flavors for our whole lives.  One more reason making your own baby food is a good idea.

Scientific American reports:

Today, unfortunately, most of those early lovin’ spoonfuls contain more sugar and salt than is nutritionally wise. A recent study in the Journal of Public Health found that 53 percent of processed baby and toddler foods lining supermarket shelves (at least in Canada) have an excessive number of calories from simple sugars, and 12 percent of them have too much sodium. The authors, noting how overindulgence on both of these nutrients is tied to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, suggest that early exposure to overly sweet or salty meals could promote a taste for these unhealthy ingredients in the future.

How does breast milk play into these research results?  I  have never tasted it since I was a baby, but I have read it tastes like warm vanilla ice cream. If that is the case, wouldn’t that hardwire our brains for sweets?

Apparently, there is a reason kids crave sweets:

Children do have an increased affinity for sweet foods compared to adults, presumably due to their nutritional needs required for active growth. But there has been little evidence to support the idea that increased sugar intake will affect preferences as an adult. “The liking for sweets,” Beauchamp says, “is a particularly strong case where you [have] a very big biological component.”

I always enjoy viewing annoying aspects of my children’s behavior as developmental. From dropping things from a high chair to craving sweets, it’s helpful to remember our children are instinctually motivated.  When it comes to eating habits, we do have some say:

Our diets are unhealthy, that much is clear. Now, an increasing number of scientists and physicians wonder if our propensity for unhealthy, obesity-inducing eating might be tied to the food choices made during our first weeks and months of life. Indeed, the latest research indicates that what we learn to like as infants paves the way for what we eat as adults. If true, we might be able to tackle the obesity epidemic in a new and more promising way, one that starts with the very first spoonful.

Whole foods from the start are obviously the first step towards lifelong healthy eating.

Photo:  Attribution Some rights reserved by CarbonNYC

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Kid’s Science Experiment with Potatoes: The Importance of Organic [video]
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists: 1/3 women should give birth “without a doctor going anywhere near them” »

Comments

  1. Mama Eva says

    July 19, 2011 at 7:29 pm

    I never believed that rice cereal was ever healthy….I totally by-passed it with both my kids….went straight to sweet potatoes, bananas, avocados and the like. Rice cereal also contributes to obesity later and (IMHO) picky eaters, wouldn’t it? That stuff tastes like cardboard. My chiropractor also said NOT to introduce food until the first tooth had broken through (something about the digestive juices are not ready until the first tooth cuts).

    Truthfully, if we, as Mamas, would trust out instincts, everything would be better 🙂

    Reply
  2. Stephanie - Green Stay at Home Mom says

    July 21, 2011 at 11:43 am

    I gave my kids a bit of rice cereal, but not for long at all, because that stuff is boring. My kids were all fast to go to pureed food, and I quickly switched to foods I made myself with a food mill with all of them. So much better than buying baby food. Completely skipped the toddler meals they sell because I couldn’t see those as remotely healthy, plus I could make food good for my toddlers far cheaper.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

Plants Over Plastics! Repurpose Compostable Home Products

Convenient Plastic Container Free Dropps Laundry & Dishwashing Pods

More from the archives!

Peace Keeper Cause-Metics

My Son the Scrapper

Incubator Made from Recycled Car Parts Could Prevent Millions of Newborn Deaths

Who’s the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association? NO on I-522 GMO Labeling companies revealed!

Free and Paid Online Games For the Aware Child: Woogi World

cbd salve joy organics

CBD Products that Actually Deliver: Joy Organics

wama hemp underwear

The Most Comfortable Underwear is Made of Hemp: WAMA Review

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy

Wooden Fairy Dolls from The Fairy Ring

More Blood on Walmarts Hands: Did they think we wouldn't notice?

Green Back to School: Avoid the Antibacterial, Triclosan Hand Soap

Entertaining Kids: Part I

Daily Tip: Conserve a Gallon of Water Every Time You Use Your Hose

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Green Children’s Literature: Love is the Color of a Rainbow

Meat Eaters: Superbugs from Factory Farms in Your Food

Mother's Milk: You Can Do It (and Hopefully This Helps)

10 Ways to Save Money in the Kitchen

Eco Kids' Books: Recycle!: A Handbook for Kids by Gail Gibbons

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.