The Umami Taste – The Satisfying Taste
The Glutamate receptor People taste umami through taste receptors specific to glutamate.
Inherent to the discussion of Umami and the glutamate receptors is the issue of MSG – mono sodium glutamate.
While MSG and umami may be chemically similar, there is an important distinction that significantly affects the way it reacts in your body. Umami flavor, or natural glutamic acid (glutamate), found in natural foods is "bound" to other amino acids or proteins. The glutamic acid that is MSG is not. As reported by Smithsonian magazine:3
"Glutamates that occur naturally in food come intertwined with different chemicals or fiber, which the body is naturally inclined to regulate, explains Amy Cheng Vollmer, professor of biology at Swarthmore College. MSG, however, comes without the natural components of food that help the body regulate glutamic levels. It's like taking an iron supplement versus obtaining iron from spinach or red meat: the iron supplement creates an expressway between the iron and your bloodstream that you wouldn't find in natural iron sources. 'The bottom line here is context is everything,' Vollmer adds."
See: Smithsonian Magazine: ‘ It’s the Umami, Stupid. Why the Truth About MSG is So Easy to Swallow’
Natural food sources of glutamic acid, Umami, are superior as they are integrated into a whole food.
Natural Food sources of Glutamate:
Other Resources
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-add-umami-flavor-to-vegan-dishes/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamate_flavoring
https://www.spiceandtea.com/ultimate-umami-seasoning.html
How to unlock the 'fifth taste' of umami, which makes foods savory and satisfying http://www.oregonlive.com/cooking/2014/01/how_to_unlock_umami_the_fifth.html
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