Umami Day: Five Reasons to Include the Fifth Taste in Your Menu

Credits: Umami Committee

Identified 114 years ago, in addition to making your mouth water, umami-rich foods are great allies for health

São Paulo, July 2022 – Celebrated on July 25, Umami Day is a truly flavorful occasion! Alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter, the fifth basic taste of the human palate can be found naturally in various foods such as tomato, shimeji mushrooms, corn, chicken, Parmesan cheese, and tuna. Mainly provided by the amino acid glutamate, the umami taste was identified 114 years ago by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda and was scientifically recognized in 2000 by American researchers.

“The discovery truly transformed culinary history — both for those who cook professionally and for those who simply enjoy experimenting. Foods rich in umami add a special touch to any dish,” explains Dr. Hellen Maluly, food scientist and consultant for the Umami Committee. She further explains that the Japanese word umami means “delicious” or “savory,” and when we taste a food rich in umami, we experience that pleasant and unique sensation provided by glutamate. “It literally makes your mouth water! That’s because the umami taste increases salivation,” says Hellen.

In addition to being delicious, consuming umami-rich foods can also offer health benefits. The Umami Committee, the organization responsible for promoting the fifth taste in Brazil, has listed five reasons why you should include these foods in your diet:

1. Helps with oral hygiene
   By increasing salivation, the umami taste can contribute to oral hygiene. Saliva has a bactericidal function, protecting the mouth from the action of certain pathogenic microorganisms.
2. Aids in food acceptance among the elderly
   In addition to increasing salivation, umami also balances the perception of other tastes, making the final flavor more pleasant and harmonious. Both are important factors that facilitate the acceptance, chewing, and swallowing of food. Therefore, a menu with more umami-rich foods directly supports nutrition and immunity in older adults, who may experience appetite loss at this stage of life and need palate stimulation.
3. Contributes to sodium reduction
   Replacing part of table salt with monosodium glutamate not only enhances the umami taste in dishes but can also reduce the sodium content in foods by up to 37%.
4. Supports a healthy eating routine
   Ingredients containing umami-providing substances can help digest proteins and promote healthier meals. They are rich in nutrients that improve intestinal health and satiety. Consuming such foods about fifteen minutes before a main meal tends to increase the feeling of fullness.
5. Helps with nutrition in cancer patients
   Patients undergoing certain types of cancer treatments may experience decreased saliva production (called xerostomia, or “dry mouth”). Radiation therapy and chemotherapy sessions, for example, can damage the salivary gland tissue, reducing saliva production. With less saliva, food ingestion becomes more difficult. The umami taste can be a great ally since it stimulates saliva production, even with compromised glands, and can directly support patients’ nutritional rehabilitation.

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 found specific receptors for this taste on 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 the lingering taste that lasts for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br and follow on social media: facebook.com/gostoumami and instagram.com/ogostoumami.