Golden August: learn about the benefits of umami taste present in breast milk

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Specialist explains how glutamate is present in the food

São Paulo, August 2023 – Breast milk is considered the best food for newborns due to its numerous immunological and nutritional benefits. To raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding for babies, the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), created the Golden August campaign.

Breast milk is rich in glutamate, the main amino acid responsible for stimulating umami, the fifth basic taste of the human palate. Umami is one of the first tastes we experience in life and provides essential benefits for the development of newborns.

“Glutamate plays important roles in the body’s physiology. Another fundamental benefit is related to the development and functioning of the intestine in the early years of life, as glutamate is used as an energy source for these cells,” explains Hellen Maluly, PhD in Food Science and consultant for the Umami Committee.

Breastfeeding also has other benefits, such as supporting the immune system and providing complete nutrition, which help keep the child healthy and replenish the vitamins and amino acids necessary for the proper functioning and development of the body.

UMAMI

It 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 on 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 the increase in salivation and the persistence of the taste for a few minutes after eating the food. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.