| Foods on the supermarket shelves that promote | | | | gene has one section that is insensitive to bitter tastes, |
| healthy eating are overshadowed by the intrusive | | | | and another section that is sensitive to bitter tastes. |
| predominance of multi-level shelves and advertising | | | | One gene - three different taste experiences. |
| and media promotion of unhealthy and non-nutritious | | | | The study also found that the more bitter receptive |
| foods for kids - making it hard for kids to want to eat | | | | the taste bud genes are, the more likely that children |
| healthy. Parents have a hard time convincing kids that | | | | are to prefer high-sugar level foods, and the less likely |
| the healthier choice is the better choice when | | | | they are to prefer milk or water as a beverage. |
| bombarded with steady streams of enticing, but | | | | However, this same correlation did not exist with |
| unhealthy advertising and food promotion. The | | | | adults. |
| challenge of raising a healthy eater can mutate itself | | | | Children, despite being picky eaters, can be |
| into daily food fights with your children. But all picky | | | | approached on a new intellectual level based on the |
| eaters aren't a product of invasive unhealthy food | | | | discovery of the variations of the TAS2R38 gene. |
| advertising, nor are they a product of a spoiled child. A | | | | Mums can concentrate on approaching children with |
| picky eater may just be a product of genetically | | | | naturally sweeter fruits and vegetables or sweeter |
| influenced taste buds. | | | | gravies and sauces to get their kids eating healthy. |
| Taste buds are not all created equal. It's often | | | | Review self-held food ideologies, and determine |
| overlooked that children eating healthy foods can have | | | | whether "chocolate milk is better than no milk at all" for |
| a lot to do with taste buds as well as their | | | | the child that shirks at a glass of white milk. Plan to |
| environment. Taste buds differ genetically, and they | | | | increase the child's dental care if bitter foods are |
| change over time. Parents can look back on their own | | | | shunned and sweeter foods are welcomed. |
| eating experiences and possibly remember a food that | | | | Understanding that taste buds do affect childrens |
| they once detested as a child, and see that it is now a | | | | healthy food choices and that genes can contribute to |
| part of their normal diet, or at least, more tolerable. | | | | a child's picky eating habits, can guide parents in picking |
| One gene that affects taste and healthy food choices | | | | out the most enticing healthy foods for their children. |
| is the TAS2R38 gene. The gene comes in three | | | | When you shop for healthy food choices, concentrate |
| different types. The first "genotype" (classification) of | | | | on identifying foods that are naturally sweet and |
| the TAS2R38 gene has two sections ("alleles") that | | | | naturally bitter. By choosing the most enticing healthy |
| are insensitive to bitter foods. Opposite of that is the | | | | foods for your children, they will be eating well - and |
| second genotype of the TAS2R38 gene, which has | | | | meal time will be sweeter for you all. |
| two bitter sensitive sections. The third genotype of this | | | | |