Early childhood: special attention to palate development | Press

January 2018 – Crucial in the first two years of a human’s life, palate development begins shortly after birth with the first breastfeeding. During the first six months, it is recommended that the child be fed exclusively with breast milk, and this is when they first come into contact with tastes.

Breast milk is composed of various substances such as vitamins, calcium, iron, fats, lactose, and amino acids. What few people know is that glutamic acid, responsible for providing the umami taste—one of the five basic tastes of the human palate—is the most abundant when compared with other amino acids and plays an essential role in infants’ development.

According to nutritionist and PhD in Food Science Ilana Elman, complementary feeding should be introduced appropriately. “Children should be presented with all tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. To do so, some measures should be taken, such as not mixing several types of foods when introducing the well-known purées, helping the child get to know foods and distinguish them in the future,” she explains.

With continued development after breastfeeding and over the years, a child may refuse certain foods. “In cases where a specific food is not accepted, it is recommended that caregivers keep offering it—without forcing or imposing—since that same food may be accepted at another time,” Elman emphasizes.

To avoid presenting foods inappropriately, it is best not to add sugar to fruits and juices and to be careful with strong seasonings in meals. If from childhood a person gets used to drinking orange juice with sugar, for example, they may never learn the fruit’s real flavor and will likely keep the habit of adding sugar into adulthood.

Another point to note is that it is common for children to reject certain foods if they are not offered at home or eaten by family members. “Keep in mind that family meals, besides being moments of pleasure and fun, also help develop good habits,” the nutritionist concludes.

When complementary feeding is introduced properly, it directly contributes to the correct development of the palate and thus encourages good eating habits—even in adulthood—promoting health, longevity, and quality of life.

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 verified the existence of specific receptors for this taste on 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 eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.