Sweat Treats

As we all know children are like sponges. They absorb everything they hear mimic everything they see and can be persuaded to eat most foods. But some have very picky about eating vegetables and healthy foods than others. It has been studied that eating habits can be developed in children even as early as in the womb. They can distinguish smells and flavors from the amniotic fluid inside the womb. Sweet tasting foods can be diffused through the amniotic fluid mapping the babies taste for sweet foods. However, bitter tastes don’t get transferred through the fluids to the baby. Some pregnant mothers like to have the excuse that they are “eating for two” when they are giving in to their cravings for junk food and sweets. A little indulgence here and there is okay but too much would not be ideal and may even make it more difficult for the baby to accept eating healthy foods when the time comes. A study conducted by the Monell Chemical Senses Center, shows that eating large quantities of junk food when pregnant and breastfeeding could have a lasting effect on the part of the babies brain that controls appetite and could lead to them having a ‘sweet tooth’. This predetermined preference for unhealthy foods can make it harder to have them enjoy eating healthier choice foods and may put them on a path to obesity. On the other hand, when a pregnant mother eats an abundance of healthy fruits and vegetables the unborn child is being introduced to those flavors and is more likely to accept eating them at a later point in their life. Some flavors that were shown to be detected in the amniotic fluid or breast milk are vanilla, mint, aniseed and carrots.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/06/03/pregnant-womens-habits-in-the-womb_n_1293293.html

Epigenetics

According to a study published in Nature Communications, a mothers diet before conception can affect how her child’s genes function. A child gets their genes from their parents, but how the certain genes become expressed is controlled by epigenetic modifications to the DNA.  An example of this would be a modification which involves tagging gene regions with chemical compounds called methyl groups resulting in silencing of genes. The addition of these compounds requires key nutrients such as folate, vitamins B2, B6 and B12, choline and methionine. Animals have already been experimented on to show that there is a correlation between what a mother eats before conception and the affects it has on the baby’s genes. It was found that in rats a females diet can change the offspring’s fur color by modifying the DNA methylation.1 It was unknown if the same affects would be shown in humans until a study was done in rural Gambia, where the population's dependence on own grown foods and a markedly seasonal climate have a significant difference in people's dietary patterns between rainy and dry seasons.  Researchers from the MRC International Nutrition Group, based at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and MRC Unit conducted an experiment using 2,000 women. They enrolled 84 pregnant women who conceived at the peak of the rainy season and 83 women who conceived at the peak of the dry season. The concentrations of nutrients in their blood were measured, and later blood and hair follicle samples from their 2-8 month old infants were also analyzed. It was found that infants conceived during the rainy season’s dietary patterns had higher rates of methyl groups present in the six genes that they studied. Two compounds in particular, homocysteine and cysteine, were found to have strong associations with this diet. However, while these epigenetic effects were observed it is still unclear as to their specific function.
As mentioned earlier methylation and a mother’s diet are also strongly related. Methylation is a tag that can coat the DNA to turn certain genes on or off. It was shown that when vitamin B2 was at lower levels the six genes had less methylation. The same results were found when the mothers BMI were studied. Heavier women also had less methylation. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140429125733.htm

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/04/29/307787984/moms-diet-right-before-pregnancy-can-alter-babys-genes

Credit: Felicia Webb

 

The Must Eats and the Must Nots

Veggies are a must!

Some of the foods that a pregnant woman should be eating are; Pleanty of fruits and veggies especially berries because they are full of vitamin C, potassium, folate and fiber.  Beans are also a great source of fiber and folate as well as protein, iron, calcium and zinc. Eggs are also a good source of protein in addition to providing important amino acids and vitamins and minerals. This includes choline which is good for your baby’s brain development. While eggs are good for you and the baby, you must be careful and avoid eating uncooked or raw eggs. Raw eggs can be found in homemade Caesar dressings for salad or in raw cookie dough. Other raw foods such as undercooked meat and sushi can also be harmful to you and your baby. Raw seafood can be a source of harmful parasites or bacteria. Listeria bacteria is a harmful bacteria that can sometimes be found in unpasteurized milk, it is dangerous and can even be life threatening to you and your baby. Certain cheeses should be avoided like soft cheeses or cheese dips such a queso, blue cheese, feta cheese, brie and camembert. Listeria can also be found on some fruits or vegetables. These foods should always be washed and scrubbed thoroughly before being eaten, especially cantaloupes which should be scrubbed and dried first. Fresh fruit juices may also house bacteria if they have not been pasteurized. These should also be avoided. Juices that are in supermarkets in boxes or bottles should be good to drink. When dining out it is especially important to ask ask ask what is in your food and how it was prepared so you know exactly what you are putting into your body and your unborn baby’s body.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/ss/slideshow-what-not-to-eat-when-pregnant
http://www.webmd.com/baby/features/must-eat-foods-pregnancy

In Good Foods Comes Good Births

As we all may have heard many times over pregnant woman must eat certain foods and must avoid others. We all know the logic behind this, alcohol and smoking is bad for the baby and all that jazz, but what about other foods and how exactly do they affect the outcome of the child. It is said that if a mother eats a wide variety of foods when pregnant the child later on becomes less picky of what it likes to eat. A mother’s weight during pregnancy and how much she gains can also have an impact on the baby’s weight and weather the child is born prematurely or not. Children that are born prematurely or at a small weight are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease later on. Sea food such as fish that are bottom feeders should be avoided as they have higher levels of mercury in them and fish such as salmon or herring should be eaten instead. These fish have a good amount of omega 3 fats which can strengthen the immune system of the baby and prevent diseases such as asthma  In some cases a mothers diet can alter the childs DNA. Many of these problems could be avoided through the right diet.     

http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/nutritional-programming/