Allies in a Balanced Diet: Discover the Benefits of Combining Spices with Umami Foods

Combination adds more flavor to recipes and contributes to sodium reduction

April 2021 – Varying foods to start a balanced diet may seem like a not-so-simple task. The most efficient way to obtain the calories and nutrients the body really needs to fuel daily activities is through a complete daily menu. There are some key ingredients that can become allies when preparing meals.

Food science PhD and Umami Committee consultant, Hellen Maluly, explains that exploring different types of seasonings can be a great option to increase sensitivity to food. “Combining different spices in preparations guarantees a complete sensory experience and health benefits. Recipes that combine herbs with umami foods, for example, can help reduce sodium (table salt). This happens because the chosen ingredients already provide a natural taste. Simple and interesting recipes like mushrooms with chives and tomatoes with basil can use less sodium, without compromising food acceptance,” she highlights.

Considered one of the five basic tastes of the human palate, alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter, umami adds depth to recipes and ensures the prolongation of other seasonings’ flavors in the mouth, making them more palatable. In addition to providing nutrients for the body, these allies make the dish even tastier and promote increased saliva production. “Saliva helps dissolve the delightful aromas and tastes from spices and ingredients, and it also facilitates chewing by providing hydration, which aids digestion,” says Hellen.

Umami

Umami is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste in the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and taste persistence for a few minutes after ingestion. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.