Children prefer natural foods to processed products

The myth that children prefer fatty foods is supported by a recent study. In it, scientists discovered that children can tell the difference between industrialized food and natural food. With the study, it was revealed that the children prefer natural foods to the industrialized.

Read more: Children should not consume sugar until age 2

Childhood is essential in the formation of food preferences

The researchers indicated that childhood is a fundamental period for the child to learn how to eat and develop the power of choice about consuming certain foods. According to Matti Wilks, from the University of Edinburgh, the evidence collected in the United States suggests that the tendency to prefer natural foods is present in childhood.

According to him, adults also have an inclination to prefer natural foods, which suggests a possible influence of social factors. For the researcher, the challenge now is to understand why we prefer healthier foods.

Thus, scientists understand that it is possible to make a 5-year-old child understand that natural foods are healthier, generating a positive belief in them. Others go further and claim that it is possible to make a child understand this even younger, before the age of 5.

Taste and safety are perceived by children

Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong. According to scientists, little ones can tell when a food is processed. This is because the sensation of flavor, confidence and desire in food can be noticed by children.

In a study carried out by the Universities of Edinburgh and Yale, evidence showed that 137 children, aged 6 to 10, preferred to consume farm-grown apples to those produced in laboratory. Adults also participated in the survey and chose the apple produced on the farm.

To justify their preference, the children referred to the fact that apples grown on the farm are fresher and grow outdoors, under sunlight. Adults, on the other hand, listed the fact that it was natural as a criterion for choosing.