Fetuses Apparently like Carrots, but Kale? Not so much, ultrasounds show
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Photo by mali maeder
Fetuses are big fans of carrots but not leafy green vegetables -- and show it in their faces, scientists said in a new study published Thursday.
Researchers at Durham University in northeast England said the findings were the first direct evidence that babies react differently to various smells and tastes before they are born.
A team of scientists studied 4D ultrasound scans of 100 pregnant women and discovered that babies exposed to carrot flavors showed "laughter-face" responses.
Those exposed to kale flavors, in contrast, showed more "cry-face" responses.
Lead postgraduate researcher Beyza Ustun said, "A number of studies have suggested that babies can taste and smell in the womb, but they are based on post-birth outcomes while our study is the first to see these reactions prior to birth.
"As a result, we think that this repeated exposure to flavors before birth could help to establish food preferences post-birth, which could be important when thinking about messaging around healthy eating and the potential for avoiding 'food-fussiness' when weaning."
Humans experience flavor through a combination of taste and smell.
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