Breastfed babies get a taste for new foods from mum's 'flavoured' milk

London, July 24 : The food eaten by mums while nursing changes their breast milk's flavour which, in turn, can help in making kids more likely to try new foods in later life, say researchers.

According to the new research, nursing mothers can make their breast milk taste like banana shake if they want. All they have to do is eat the fruit an hour or less before feeding time.

The study, conducted by University of Copenhagen scientists, suggests that mothers can pass on a love for new foods to their babies via their milk.

Breast milk can be given other flavours in the same way. In tests, women also made their milk taste of menthol, caraway seeds and liquorice.

Researchers believe the rich variety of flavours in breast milk may help a child try new foods later in life.

Researchers found that women could make their milk taste of bananas, menthol, caraway seed and liquorice.

"It's not like if the mother eats apple pie the baby thinks, 'Mmm, apple pie', but it may make them more accepting of the flavour of other foods,' Times Online quoted Helene Hausner, the study's lead researcher, as saying.

The study is published in the New Scientist.

ANI