My Sweet Tooth...Could Mom's Theory Be True?

My mother has a theory to explain why I have a wicked sweet-tooth…she says that she believes that it’s due to the fact that she ate a pound of M&Ms a day during her entire pregancy. Could be being exposed to that much sugar/chocolate prenatally have an effect on a persons’ preferences for sweets?

Uh…I meant pregnancy, of course.

IIRC, Discover magazine had an article or blurb at least that stated a person’s like or dislike of salt depended on the amount of vomiting their mother suffered during pregnancy. (As an aside, I love salt. Draw your own conclusions.) I have also heard several people make the statement that children get their mother’s tastes while gestating. So, bottom line, I don’t know. Sorry.

-Brianjedi

It’s hardly scientific but I can tell you what i ate the most of during each pregnancy with my kids does seem to be among their favorite foods now. When preggers with the 6 year old, I ate tons of cold cereal with milk, and vast quantities of ice cream. He usually has 2 bowls of cereal for breakfast, a bowl of cereal as a late lunch, whatever dinner we force upon him and ice cream if he can get it.
With the 3 year old, I wanted salads and fruit. Her usual day consists of 1 1/2 bowls cold cereal with milk, 1/4 cantaloupe or honeydew melon, an entire can of spaghetti-o’s and an apple for lunch, whatever we thrust upon her for dinner, another small bowl of cereal and a raw carrot or whole tomato to tide her over before she goes to bed. (Did I mention she’s a head shorter than him, but weighs the same?)

I’m looking forward to seeing other responses to this. I would have to say, I agree with your mom.

brianjedi,hmmmm I vomited once, maybe twice while pregnant with my son and he’s not much of a "salt’ person. I had zero vomiting while pregnant with my daughter and she loves pretzels and chips over sweets.

My mother’s theory is her diet of Pepsi and chocolate during her pregnancy is why I turned out dark…I also consume much Pepsi and chocolate, but I expect it’s just my post-birth exposure to them that hooked me.

I seem to recall hearing something about the craving for sweets being a learned thing.
Before my wife went on a doctor-prescribed diet, in which all sweets were cut off (and all sugar too), she used to crave chocolate, and sugar like you wouldn’t believe.

Once she was on the diet for awhile, the cravings disappeared.

Yup. And if the baby is born with hair, it means the mother was scared by a wolf. Also, if the mother sees a cripple during pregnancy, the baby will be born crippled.

In other words, can you say “old wives tale”?

Larmarck was wrong, you know.

Reality Chuck wrote:

I think Reality Chuck is right, but it is interesting. I love sweets; my mom loves sweets… is it because mom ate those things during pregnancy? I dunno, doubt it.

I think it boils down to exposure to said candies during childhood. I have always loved chocolate. always - and continue to.

But then again, who doesn’t like chocolate, or salt? I mean I think it would be easier to isolate people whose mothers did not eat these things rather than the mothers who did. Then you’d be able to see what their children are eating, and see if there are any matches.(As a toddler spits out an M&M and babbles “ewww…” - I don’t think it’ll happen, but…)

Just opening my big mouth to say, my Mom ate a bag of oranges a day while pregnant with me. I am alergic to oranges. Love them but can’t eat them. Now if BabyBoy grows up allergic to watermelon, fried green tomatoes and cheetos we’ll know I figured out the secret! If BabyGirl can’t stomache frozen pizzas or onions, then I want you all to remember that I posted it first! And if none of this happens then just ignore me and soon I’ll go away :slight_smile: