Doctor Explains the Benefits of Breastfeeding for a Baby’s Cognitive and Digestive Development

Breast milk is a matrix composed of various components, including fat, protein, sugars, vitamins, minerals, and water that help strengthen a child’s immune system.

December 2019 – The first moments of closeness and the emotional bonds between a mother and child begin during pregnancy. But it is perhaps during breastfeeding that this bond becomes even more intense, since it is one of the first physical contacts after birth. In addition to strengthening the bond, breastfeeding provides several health benefits for the baby.

Breast milk is a matrix composed of various components, including fat, protein, sugars, vitamins, minerals, and water. “What many people don’t know is that glutamic acid, responsible for conferring the umami taste—one of the five tastes of the human palate—is the most abundant substance present in breast milk, with numerous benefits for the baby’s health. In other words, umami is one of the first tastes we experience at birth,” explains Manuel Baldeon, physician and professor at the University of San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador) and consultant to the Umami Committee.

The composition of milk can vary according to the mother’s diet and the stage of lactation. “Mothers should prepare for breastfeeding. Health care during pregnancy and the breastfeeding period ensures that breast milk has the appropriate composition for the baby’s development,” Baldeon notes. Milk is a primary source of vitamins A, B12, D, E, K, and C, which are important for nutrition in early childhood, playing a role in the newborn’s socio-cognitive development.

The specialist also states that glutamate plays an important role in the functioning of the baby’s immune system and intestinal health, especially in the first days of life. “The amino acids present in milk, together with lactose (milk sugar) and free glutamate, are the main contributors to this functioning.”

Lactation also benefits the mother’s health and well-being. “Breastfeeding facilitates the recovery of pre-pregnancy metabolism, allowing the mother to return to her pre-gestational weight,” the Ecuadorian doctor notes. Ideally, a regular breastfeeding routine should be maintained. “If the mother cannot feed the child, it is recommended to pump milk with a manual or electric pump. After birth, the best way to avoid breast engorgement is to breastfeed your baby frequently.”

UMAMI
It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste in the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after ingestion. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.