Umami can be a total gastronomic Rubik’s Cube when we think about its origins and where it’s headed. Umami marks a unique crossroads between science and food. Recognized last but not least after sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, the savory sensation even has the potential to mitigate nutrition problems worldwide. Let’s take a deeper look into what makes the fifth taste so potent.
The biochemistry of it all
The roots of umami stem from a lab in Japanese Imperial University in the 1900s. Chemist Kikunae Ikeda was analyzing dashi when he noticed the taste of the clear broth couldn’t be described by a configuration of any of the other four tastes. He searched far and wide for the exact part that gave the dashi the distinct flavor, until he noticed something particular within the broth’s key seaweed ingredient.
Ikeda found that certain molecular structures within the kelp would adhere perfectly to tongue receptors—giving humans that savory rich feeling within their mouths. These compounds were later recognized as glutamic acids. The layman’s term for this is MSG, or crystallized monosodium glutamate, and it’s prevalent among common foods.
Where we find it
There are a number of super umami foods you can introduce to your diet. Pork, beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, shellfish, clams, scallops, green tea, tuna, anchovies, soy sauce, parmesan cheese are all great sources of umami packed amino acids. But be mindful, because adding too much umami to your daily diet can lead to too much sodium in your diet. As with most things in life, be wary of excess.
Kikunae Ikeda knew that the wonder of umami should be a taste readily available to all. He originally wanted to take advantage of the seaweed that he first discovered umami in; however the concentration of glutamate was not ideal, so he opted for a production process that would wheat protein instead. He would hydrolyze, or break down the chemical when adding water, the wheat protein to get the desired glutamate. The process was quickly revered and recognized by chefs and scientists alike.
The original Master Chef cooking show took place between two great culinary scientists: Ikeda of the East, who developed the MSG seasoning, and Julius Maggi, who led the European food race. In hopes of providing delicious, nutritious and fast meals to poor mothers, Western food scientist Julius Maggi had looked to free amino acids in hydrolyzed proteins from beans and lentils. Without even knowing it, he had achieved umami as well. While both inventors catered well to their respective demographics, Ikeda is known to have achieved the more potent umami taste.
Umami enhances flavor and love for foods, many say, but it also has some nutritional benefits. Adding a umami-rich food to your meal can be an alternative to added salt, a common trick for people suffering from low blood pressure. According to U.S. News, adding umami to foods even helped women consume less calories in a day.
Looking ahead
Beyond the positives to a healthy diet, there is major potential for umami. Assistant Professor at the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine Miguel Alonso posed an interesting method on exploiting umami to combat obesity. He wants to take the umami rich broth to supplement a main course.
“Many cultures around the world advocate drinking a broth before a meal. Our study suggests the possibility that people at high risk of obesity could benefit from an umami-rich broth before a meal to facilitate healthy eating and healthy food choice,” Alonso said.
The elderly also seem to be a target market for umami advocates. Introducing a healthy amount of umami in their diet can help bring back flavor when many taste buds have lost function, according to International Glutamate Information Service. This alternative to salt increases their culinary experience without exposing them to the risk of more health problems, such as hypertension, this article reports.
With a capacity to resist a major health problem both nationally and around the world and giving us a gustatory sensation like no other, umami can play a defining factor in our diet. What was once a rare discovery in a Japanese lab has now become a global food phenomenon.