Thank you so much for your question. We are born with five different types of taste receptors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami (glutamic acid- a natural substance found in different foods, such as asparagus, cheese, meat, and potatoes). An infant is born with a preference for sweet tastes, likely because breast milk is inherently sweet. In terms of evolution, those who preferred sweet tastes (and therefore drank more breast milk) were more likely to survive and procreate. A newborn will relax his/her face and suck when exposed to sweet tastes and will grimace when exposed to sour or bitter tastes. Interestingly, the ability to taste salt does not develop until a newborn is between 4 and 6 months old.

Pleasure associated with food is also innate and is regulated by the pleasure center of the brain, known as the nucleus accumbens. Imaging studies show that many areas of the brain “light up” when a person is around appetizing (high calorie, high fat) food. It is believed that the same brain receptors that cause pleasure with drugs (opioid receptors) also modulate pleasure associated with food. These pathways are activated when a person is around delicious foods.

Have you heard of “comfort” foods? When a person is stressed, the body releases cortisol (aka the stress hormone). Cortisol causes a person to seek out sweet and fattening foods. This is why someone may turn to ice cream when they are distressed. It is a biological phenomenon- but that doesn’t mean we should give in to these cravings!

The body is so complex and interesting. Let me know if you have more questions!

Joanna Dolgoff, M.D.
http://www.thelighterweigh.com

I do have one question though. Why is it that we are BORN liking fatty foods, and have to be taught to like the healthy stuff. (as you said in your comment to Dan)

Angel@ 1smartmom.com

Your parents did a great job! By consistently exposing you to fruits and vegetables, they were able to cultivate a life long love of healthy foods. It is unlikely that you loved all of the fruits and vegetables you were served the first time you tried them- but by persevering, your parents taught you to enjoy those foods.

If a child has been exposed to a healthy food (for example, broccoli) many times in the past, he/she will possibly develop a taste for it and will continue eating broccoli as he/she get older. However, if that child has not been exposed to broccoli often enough to develop a liking for it, it is unlikely that older child will give the broccoli a chance on his/her own. The opportunity for that child to like broccoli will have been lost. It is important that we expose our children to as many healthy foods as possible while we are still “in control”. And we can’t give up too early. If a child doesn’t like a certain vegetable, wait a week or so and try again. Institute the “two bite rule”… your child must eat two bites each time a healthy food is served but does not have to finish the portion if he/she doesn’t want to.

It is our job as parents to teach our children to like healthy foods.