John Myers
One for mom, one for dad… When kids don’t like something, they follow their instincts: what tastes bitter might be poisonous.
Sweet for the kids, bitter for the parents
When our ancestors went in search of food, it was about nothing less than survival. On the one hand, they were always plagued by hunger and couldn’t just look at the recipe book like we can today. What you found on the way through the fields and steppes you wanted to eat.
Unfortunately, not everything is edible. Many plants are poisonous. But our ancestors were already able to tell the difference, because many toxins are naturally bitter. Our brain therefore immediately signals to us: Caution! This warning may have saved one or the other prehistoric man.
Today that plays far less of a role because we don’t usually get any poisonous food in the supermarket (unless we overdo it with nutmeg, then we’re also a case for the emergency doctor or undertaker). But our brain still works in places as if we lived in caves. When we taste sweets, the brain wants more. Because sugar is a guarantee for energy and our cells need it.
Bitter substances, on the other hand, are still not a favorite for our brains, especially for children. They are skeptical from birth when it comes to bitter foods such as lemons, and thousands of years ago that was justified. For this reason, broccoli, among other things, has a difficult time with the offspring. On the other hand, they are trimmed for sugar. They find food and drink much less sweet than adults because taste perception changes with age. But the fact that children leave broccoli on their plates their whole lives doesn’t have to stay that way.
The sense of taste can also be trained. In the same way, we can finally remember whether we are dying from lemons or feeling bad or not. Children have to learn that broccoli is not only harmless but also delicious. But they need about eight to 15 attempts to do so. For this reason, parents have a role model function. You can show your children: Look, I like it and it’s healthy. You can eat that too!
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