Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage or kohlrabi. Many children – and some adults – automatically grimace at such a list. The variety of plants Brassica , better known as cabbage vegetables, repeatedly leads to arguments at the dining table. The Australian food chemist Damian Frank from the University of Sydney carried out a study on why children in particular are reluctant to eat vegetables.
SZ: Mr Frank, have Do you have an aversion to cabbage vegetables?
Damian Frank: No, I think it’s great. But it depends on how it is prepared. So if cauliflower or broccoli are just cooked, they can be very boring. But when they are briefly seared in a pan and have a nice sauce on them – have you ever done that? Then cabbage is pretty good.
Not all people see it that way.
If we believe nutritionists, practically no one or only a very small percentage of the population eats enough vegetables – in Germany as well as in Australia. However, cabbage vegetables in particular have many advantages, as they protect against a whole range of diseases, including cancer. So it’s very good for us.
If only it would taste that good. Why do many people and especially many children not like cabbage?
There are bitter compounds of amino acids called glucosinolates in cabbage vegetables. Much research is being done around the world on the relationship between the amount of glucosinolates and the preference of children and adults for cabbage. In our study, however, we examined a completely different chemical substance that accumulates in Brassica plants for the first time: dimethyl trisulfide.
Sounds complicated.
We have found that bacteria, which are found in the mouth of many, but not all, people, come into contact with dimethyl trisulfide very quickly. They break down the substance in the mouth and produce smelly sulfur compounds in the process. Anyone who has a lot of such bacteria has less fun with cauliflower and co.
And have you tried that on children?
We had 98 parent-child pairs who participated in the study. Not all of them made it through to the end.
What exactly did you find out?
The bacteria in saliva occur in children and adults. But in the case of the adults, this did not have much effect on how they judged the taste and smell of the cauliflower.
Why is that?
Children carefully touch food . They like sweet things first, then salty ones too. They definitely don’t like bitterness at first. That’s probably an evolutionary adjustment because some bitter and smelly things are pretty toxic. As you get older and have more experience with food, you can overcome that.
So it is true when parents tell their children: You are going to meet you Get used to the taste?
Many children actually do this. Everyone remembers a time when their parents forced them to eat things they didn’t like. Types of cabbage are a classic. For me it was Brussels sprouts. I couldn’t stand fish either. But it is a new finding that bacteria in the mouth can contribute to the taste sensation.
Damian Frank, 54, is a food chemist at the Australian science agency CSIRO. As a child he fought fights with his parents because they wanted to make him tasty Brussels sprouts or fish.
(Photo: private)
And can you find out whether you have these bacteria in your mouth yourself?
You can easily imitate one of our experiments yourself: Put some broccoli in a glass, add some saliva – and do the same with some water from the tap. Let the whole thing stand for a few minutes. If you smell a very big difference, you probably have a high level of bacterial activity.
What does that mean for the Raising children?
It is helpful for parents to know that the aversion to bacteria can come in the mouth. And then you can only get ahead with patience. With a lot of repetition and good experiences, children may learn to endure the taste. When they get older, they might even like it.
Can the taste-spoiling bacteria be outwitted somehow?
Different preparation methods could minimize the effect of the bacteria: cook the vegetables long enough or pour the right sauce over them. Or put lemon juice on it, which could inhibit the enzymes in the mouth.
What else do you know about the bacteria?
We know that this type of chemical reaction is likely to occur in any human being further down the gastrointestinal tract, it could be important for the absorption of nutrients. But we have absolutely no idea why some people have these bacteria in their mouths, or whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing. We’re just beginning to understand that.
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