Most children do not like cauliflower and broccoli. They push them in disgust on the plate and do not touch them even if they are served as a side dish to their favorite dish.
However, the absence of these vegetables from the menu is not good for health. Because broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are particularly good sources of essential nutrients, including vitamins C, A, E and K, fiber, folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorus. Experts recommend that they be included regularly in the menu of adolescents. The problem is that most children, regardless of age, do not like them and do not consume them at all.
Scientists have finally solved the secret, writes ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. It turns out that this is due to a chemical reaction that occurs in the mouth and emits a foul odor. The reason is that enzymes from vegetables mix with bacteria from saliva, and the interaction between them releases a very unpleasant smell of sulfur. Vegetables in this group contain S-methyl-cysteine sulfoxide, which mixes with bacteria that are produced in the oral cavity and secrete sulfur. It is because of the high level of this volatile substance that children do not like vegetables.
The reason has already been clarified by science, but not how to solve the problem. The level of these odorous compounds is the same in both parents and children, due to the common oral microbiome.
What is clear so far is that with age, sensitivity to this odor is lost, so adults are more likely to eat both broccoli and cauliflower. For children, however, the problem remains.
