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16 | YOU AT YOUR BEST | nwAdg.cOm/YOUATYOURBEST JULY - ThE 5 SEnSES | SATURdAY, JUnE 24, 2017 Simple tricks to satisfy picky eaters metro creative ServiceS Family mealtime can be challenging for a variety of reasons, including the varying taste buds of moms, dads and their kids. Although there is no consistent defi nition of picky eating, according to a report published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics, the term is generally used to characterize children who eat a limited amount of food, have strong food preferences, have restricted intake of certain foods, or who are unwill- ing to try new foods. It's diffi cult to account statistically for picky eating, but this relatively common behavioral problem tends to peak around age 3. Picky eating tends to be genetic. A study led by Dr. Lucy Cooke of the department of epidemiology and public health at University College Lon- don found genes are largely to blame for picky eaters. According to her research, 78 percent of pickiness is genetic and the other 22 percent is en- vironmental. Pickiness usually is a temporary part of normal development, and many of the behaviors associated with picky eating can be alleviated by open-minded, patient parents who are willing to try new things themselves. Experiment with different textures Sometimes it isn't the food itself but the texture of the food that is the problem. Therefore, parents shouldn't rule out certain foods just yet. For example, a child might not like the texture of a baked potato, but mashed po- tatoes are fi ne. Try presenting the food in a different way. Caulifl ower is one food that can be transformed into many different styles, from being grated like rice, to baked into a pizza crust. Don't give up on foods on the fi rst try. Make meals more hands-on Many ingredients touching one another can be an overwhelming experi- ence for children getting ready to eat. For example, young kids may not un- derstand that melted yellow stuff on a hamburger is the same type of cheese they eat cubed with crackers for lunch. Rather than create separate meals, make the dinner table look like a fi xings bar at a restaurant. Let kids pick and choose what they want to put on their plates. This may compel them to be more adventurous with their selections. Find ways to mask nutrition Choose foods that children regularly eat and enjoy and experiment with ways to dress them up and make them more nutritious. Regular mac-and- cheese can be improved with the use of whole-grain pasta and fresh cheese instead of boxed mixes. Try making chicken nuggets from scratch rather than buying frozen nuggets. Smoothies can be enhanced with fresh fruit and other mix-ins. Even desserts can include pureed vegetables and fruits to increase their amount of vitamins and minerals. Picky eating is a phase many children will experience. Parents can ride through the mealtime woes by experimenting more in the kitchen. By SaraH HaNey NWa Democrat-Gazette Much like your other chemical sense (smell), the sense of taste consists largely of tiny molecules. These molecules stimulate spe- cial sensory cells in the mouth and throat when you eat, drink, chew, or digest food. When you are born, you have approximately 10,000 taste buds. Taste perception begins to fade around 50 years of age due to a loss of tongue papillae and a decrease in saliva production. Taste buds comprise the small bumps on the tip of your tongue and consist of gustatory cells which also line your throat and reside on the roof of your mouth. There are fi ve basic taste qualities that your taste buds respond to: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. Umami represents savory taste qualities which can be found in some cheeses and meat broths. Taste buds that respond to the different taste qualities are scattered throughout the tongue. Contrary to a common misconcep- tion, they are not in separate regions. More than 2 million Americans suffer from some permanent smell or taste disorder. Taste disorders are believed to affect as many as 15 percent of adults with many not seeking help. Some of these disorders include: • Phantom Taste Perception — A lingering, often unpleasant taste even though you may have nothing in your mouth. • Hypogeusia — A reduced ability to taste the fi ve taste qualities (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory). • Dysgeusia — A condition in which a foul, salty, rancid, or metallic taste sensation will persist in the mouth. • Ageusia — The inability to detect any tastes. This is a rare condition. Most taste disorders are developed as a re- sult of an illness or injury. Among the causes of taste disorders are: • Smoking • Seasonal allergies • Nerve damage • Tumors in the brain • Polyps in the nose • Dryness of the mouth • Upper respiratory and middle ear infec- tions • Nasal airway problems • Poor oral hygiene and dental problems • Head injury • Some antibiotics • Exposure to certain chemicals • Radiation therapy for cancers of the head and neck • Surgeries to the ear, nose, and throat or wisdom tooth extraction When experiencing a taste disorder, foods may taste strange or have a metallic fl avor. Taste disorders can lead to food tasting bland, resulting in a lack of interest in eating which may cause a loss of absorption of nutrients your body needs to function. When your body doesn't receive the nutrients it needs, it can lead to the development of other medical problems. It is common for a loss of taste to be more di- rectly related to a loss of smell. When you have the common cold or fl u, your sense of smell can be obstructed which may affect your sense of taste. If you notice a change in your ability to taste, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider so any underlying serious conditions can be ruled out. Taste THE SENSE OF