Umami taste

16 Healthy foods packed with umami flavour

Umami is one of the five basic tastes, alongside sweet, bitter, salty, and sour. It is best described as savory or meaty flavour. Umami taste refer to glutamate found in vegetable and animal proteins, inosinate found in meats only or guanylate found in plants.

Umami compounds are typically found in high-protein foods, so tasting umami tells your body that a food contains protein. In response, your body secretes saliva and digestive juices to help digest these proteins. Studies have been shown that umami food aind in weight loss by curbing appetite.

Here is list of umami foods with surprising health benefits:

1. Seaweeds

Kombu and nori seaweeds are high in the umami compound glutamate. That’s why they’re often used in broths or sauces to add depth in Japanese cuisine.

2. Soy-Based Foods

Soy-based foods are naturally high in the umami compound glutamate. Fermented soy-based foods are especially high, as fermentation can break down proteins into free amino acids, such as glutamic acid.

3. Aged Cheeses

Cheeses that have been aged longer have a stronger umami taste, as they go through more proteolysis — a process that breaks down protein into free amino acids, such as glutamic acid.

4. Kimchi

Kimchi contains an impressive 240 mg of glutamate per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). It’s high in umami compounds as a result of fermentation with Bacillus bacteria.

5. Green Tea

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Green tea contains 220–670 mg of glutamate per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), which is why it has a unique sweet, bitter, and umami taste. It’s also high in theanine — which has a similar structure to glutamate and can raise its umami compound levels.

6. Seafood

Many fish and shellfish are high in glutamate and — especially — inosinate, another umami compound present mainly in animal products. Glutamate and inosinate have a synergistic effect on each other, boosting the overall umami flavor of food.

7. Meats

Like seafood, meats are a good source of glutamate and inosinate. Dried, aged, or processed meats contain the most glutamic acid.

8. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a great source of umami flavor and contain 150–250 mg of glutamic acid per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). Dried tomatoes are more concentrated, providing 650–1,140 mg in the same serving.

9. Mushrooms

Mushrooms especially dried type are a great plant-based source of glutamic acid. They’re also easy to add to your diet, making them an easy way to boost the overall umami flavor of your dishes.

10.Other Foods That Contain Umami

Foods like Marmite, oyster sauce, corn, green peas, garlic, lotus root, and potatoes are also good sources of umami flavor due to their high glutamate content.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/umami-foods?utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=authoritynutrition&utm_content=2019-01-21#section11

http://taste.narin.com/umami