Why aren't we more "geared" to liking brocolli?

[Xon]

I never understood this 'brocoli is icky' shit as a young child. I mean, I'd see it on TV and think "What's their problem?".

Children have vastly more tastebuds than an adult, As you mature, the number drops. So the stuff tastes really bitter and people are predisposed to think bitter means bad.

Coupled with most modern parents inability to say "no" it really is a no brainer

[Xon]

Children have vastly more tastebuds than an adult, As you mature, the number drops.

Gah, after futhur googling it is more of a case children's tastebuds have different sensitiveity levels than in an adults, interesting linky. But my point remains the same, what children's taste is very different to how they taste stuff when adults.

Also the last paragaph in the article I linked to stands out;

NARR What this adds up to is that young children may experience a different flavoured world to adults. And when it comes to eating vegetables it will take time for them to adjust to those with a bitter flavour. Now there's evidence that if we expose children to a variety of tastes and flavours early in their development, it's more likely that they'll accept a wide range of foods in their diet later in life. In other words what parents have been doing for years was right.

(Italics mine)

[Joe]

Steamed broccoli is great, particularly if you put some cheddar cheese and pepper on that fucker. Mmm.

Unfortunately, the cheddar cheese tends to destroy the health value.

[General Zod]

Steamed broccoli is great, particularly if you put some cheddar cheese and pepper on that fucker. Mmm.

Unfortunately, the cheddar cheese tends to destroy the health value.

If it's loaded with vitamins, how does adding stuff make it less healthy, exactly? Aside from steaming it, I don't really see how it could suddenly have less vitamin content than it did before adding the cheddar.

[Wyrm]

I'm partially with Mike about the whiny brats and spineless parents thing, but I also think there's another consideration: Overcooked broccoli.

Now, I am a child of the school lunchline, and I always hated their broccoli. On the other hand, I always loved Mom's broccolli. On the third hand, this enjoyment diminished when the broccoli was served as leftovers. Later, I figured out why: Mom's fresh broccoli was cooked until it was just tender -- just right and full of deliciousness! When the broccoli was leftovers, they were just slightly overcooked. Such broccoli was okay, but nothing to brag about. The school broccoli had the shit cooked out of it, making the stalks limp, lifeless and bitter as all get out.

Green vegitables in general do not forgive overcooking, and broccoli and its close relatives are particularly vengeful.

Now, I notice a correlation between spineless parenting and paranoia of food poisoning. This means overcooking food, and thus the broccoli that the kids are getting is particularly bitter. Although overcooking is not entirely to blame for 'no-veggie kids' syndrome, I would think that overcooked vegitables would tend to aggravate the problem of kids thinking 'veggies == t3h yuck.'

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

Steamed broccoli is great, particularly if you put some cheddar cheese and pepper on that fucker. Mmm.

Unfortunately, the cheddar cheese tends to destroy the health value.

If it's loaded with vitamins, how does adding stuff make it less healthy, exactly? Aside from steaming it, I don't really see how it could suddenly have less vitamin content than it did before adding the cheddar.

It's not what the cheese takes away that's the problem. It's what the cheese adds. The cheese adds a high quantity of salt and fat that the broccoli by itself does not posess.

[Magnetic]

I'm partially with Mike about the whiny brats and spineless parents thing, but I also think there's another consideration: Overcooked broccoli.

Now, I am a child of the school lunchline, and I always hated their broccoli. On the other hand, I always loved Mom's broccolli. On the third hand, this enjoyment diminished when the broccoli was served as leftovers. Later, I figured out why: Mom's fresh broccoli was cooked until it was just tender -- just right and full of deliciousness! When the broccoli was leftovers, they were just slightly overcooked. Such broccoli was okay, but nothing to brag about. The school broccoli had the shit cooked out of it, making the stalks limp, lifeless and bitter as all get out.

Green vegitables in general do not forgive overcooking, and broccoli and its close relatives are particularly vengeful.

Now, I notice a correlation between spineless parenting and paranoia of food poisoning. This means overcooking food, and thus the broccoli that the kids are getting is particularly bitter. Although overcooking is not entirely to blame for 'no-veggie kids' syndrome, I would think that overcooked vegitables would tend to aggravate the problem of kids thinking 'veggies == t3h yuck.'

Are you some kind of . . . mutant??

[Wyrm]

<snip>...On the third hand...<more snippy>

Are you some kind of . . . mutant??

Naw, just lopped off the hand of some unlucky sap that happened to be passing by.