Discover The Umami Flavor and Its Benefits

The desire for good-tasting food, or palatability, is universal. The four basic food flavors of salty, sweet, bitter, and sour are enjoyed in every culture’s cuisines. They are easily identified, described, and even labeled. But there is another fifth flavor that, up until recently, lay beyond the easy categorization of flavors. It’s time to discover the Umami flavor and its benefits!

Umami is not new. But have you ever experienced it before? Umami is an extra dimension or “deliciousness,” a fullness and depth of flavor that is more than just salty. That umami flavor, or in Japanese, “essence of deliciousness,” was only recently acknowledged, quantified, or, more correctly, given a widely accepted name in the last hundred years.

History of Umami

The identification of this particular flavor can be traced back to a Japanese scientist, Dr. Kikunae Ikeda of the Tokyo Imperial University. As the story goes, back in 1907, Dr. Ikeda was enjoying a bowl of kombu dashi, a Japanese dish whose stock generally consists ofkombu kelp seaweed and katsuobushi (dried bonito fish flakes). Dashi is considered a foundational broth in Japanese cuisine and is found in many dishes. Some of the ingredients can vary a bit, but the core is generally the same.

Dr. Ikeda realized the umami flavor was distinctly different from the other four: salty, bitter, sour, and sweet. It was savory in a unique way. In his earlier years studying in Germany, he had experienced other foods with a similar savory component,including asparagus and tomatoes. The dashi, though, inspired him in a different way.

In 1908, Dr. Ikeda, being a chemist, wanted to understand and identify the components of this “new” flavor.He ultimately traced umami to akey molecule in the seaweed component in dashi, the amino acid glutamate. The partnership of the glutamate from the kelp along with the inosinate from the bonito flakes amplified the effects of each other. But those two acids together are just one of several possible combinations. Dried shiitake mushroomscontain guanylic acid, an amino compoundthat can also trigger the umami response and when combined with glutamate for instance, can give a wonderfully complex umami experience.

Two more key amino acids, inosinate, and guanylate, were later discovered to be sources of umami. It was already known that the tongue has specific receptors that allow a person torecognize amino acids, which are essential building blocks of proteins. Further research ensued over the years, and in 2002 scientists identified the umami receptors on the tongue. Research also revealed that these amino acids, along with certain salts, could be found in several foods. The Western culinary world gradually followed suit, and “umami” and its Japanese title were finally recognized by the late 20th century.

How do people perceive it?

The experience of umami can be complex. According to some, umami provides a mouthwatering experience, spreads across the tongue, andlasts longer on the palatethan the other four flavors. But the depth of flavor it represents is almost universal. It’s often perceived as giving a sense of deep satisfaction when eaten.

What are Umami’s Benefits?

Researchers from Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Japan discovered how the umami flavor triggers taste sensations important for health, especially in elderly people.

“In a small study of 44 elderly patients, the researchers showed that some elderly patients suffer a loss of the umami taste sensation and that all of the patients studied complained of appetite and weight loss, resulting in poor overall health. Umami taste receptors also reportedly exist in the gut, suggesting that the umami taste sensation functions in nutrient sensation and modulates digestion in the gut, which could be important for maintaining a healthy daily life.

The researchers suggest that diseases suffered by elderly patients and side effects from their medications could cause taste disorders and reduced salivation. They also found that treatment to improve salivary flow had a beneficial effect on the patients’ taste sensations and could help patients with reduced umami sensitivity.”1

Plant-based Umami?

The umami flavor is alternately described as “brothy, meaty, and delicious.” Ironically, however, it’s the ultimate plant-based ingredient—kombu, which is brown kelp! This mighty and deeply nutritious seaweed is rich in glutamate and aspartate, another, weaker amino acid, which inspired Dr. Ikeda’s journey to what we know now as umami.Much of umami is attributed to animal sources, but vegans and plant-based diners can find it in a number of vegetables as well.Keep in mind, ALL savory foods contain glutamate, the main factor in umami. And it’s this “free” glutamate that signals the umami experience in the mouth.

Ripe vegetables

Dried vegetables

Fresh and dried mushrooms, particularly shitakes which contain guanylic acid, a great umami source

Fermented vegetables and beans

Miso pastes, low-sodium soy, or tamari sauce

Nutritional yeast

Dried and fresh seaweeds

Many other condiments, including ketchup

This is just a partial list of ingredients that give you the umami flavor experience. Use these as a starting point on your ownjourney to deliciousness!

Novices and veterans can all try this savory umami dish. .https://villageofpeacedimona.com/2024/09/13/umami-rich-chickpea-sea-salad-with-wakame-a-versatile-plant-based-delight/

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