It appears some confusion exists about the relationship between umami and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Are they similar? Where did umami come from? Does MSG have umami flavor? Inquiring minds want to know.
If you are a bit perplexed, we’d like to help. To do so, we’ve looked back at blogs posted on MSGdish.com and excerpted a few statements that are educational. So here we go!
The Discovery of Umami
Over a hundred years ago, Professor Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University wondered what made kelp broth taste so good. He recognized that, “There is a taste which is common to asparagus, tomatoes, cheese and meat but which is not one of the four well-known tastes of sweet, sour, bitter and salty,” and set out to figure out what it was. He discovered that glutamate, an amino acid made by many plants and animals, was the source of this distinctive taste, and named the flavor “umami,” meaning “pleasant savory taste” in Japanese. He was able to isolate the glutamate from the seaweed and began to sell the crystallized form as a seasoning called Ajinomoto (which means “the essence of taste” in Japanese). He later realized it was easier to get the glutamate by fermenting plants such as sugar cane or tapioca, and began making it that way. This seasoning, which provides umami flavor, is still widely used today, although most Americans have not heard of Ajinomoto (umami seasoning) because it is commonly referred to as MSG (monosodium glutamate).
More from “MSG: The Tale of a Castaway in the Middle of an Umami Movement” by Theresa Hedrick, MS, RD
Our Bodies Need Glutamate
In humans, glutamic acid is a non-essential amino acid, in that the body is capable of producing its own glutamic acid and not dependent upon getting it from food. But don’t let the term “non-essential” lead you astray. Glutamic acid is vital for metabolism and brain function. Our bodies need it to function properly. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid and becomes sodium glutamate. Our bodies recognize it identically to free glutamate in foods such as beef, tomatoes, aged cheeses, and soy sauce, which contain the same glutamate that is in MSG. The glutamate in foods and MSG is the same. As an ingredient that boosts the umami flavor of food, MSG has long been used as a tabletop seasoning and is common all over Asia, and to a smaller extent in the West, in different sauces and preparations. It dissolves easily and does not overpower other flavors, which makes it a useful food ingredient.
More from “MSG is Truly Umami Seasoning” by Mary Lee Chin, MS, RD
Umami is the Savory Taste
MSG is considered the purest form of umami. Why is that? And what does it even mean?
First, let’s explore what umami is. Umami, the taste of savory, is one of the five basic tastes. It signals that a dish contains protein. When glutamate, an amino acid that is part of many proteins, comes in contact with the sensory cells on our tongue (our “taste buds”), those cells send a signal to the brain that says, “what you’re eating is savory.” Glutamate is found naturally in many foods (cheese, soy sauce, many vegetables, etc.), but it is always present with other flavors. For example, a slice of prosciutto tastes savory, but it also tastes salty. A ripe tomato tastes sweet and savory. Broccoli tastes bitter and savory.
There is one time, however, where glutamate is found alone, and that is in MSG. Well, it is almost alone; there is a little sodium mixed with the glutamate for stability, but it does not add much flavor. Because the glutamate is alone, when MSG is eaten, it triggers only one taste sensation – umami. This isolation of the savory flavor makes it the purest taste of umami. This phenomenon is much like salt and saltiness. Plenty of foods taste salty, but licking salt gives you the purest taste of saltiness.
You can try this for yourself by putting a pinch of MSG on your tongue. It is similar to sipping a little meat broth, but what you are really tasting is the purest taste of umami.
More from “How Can MSG Be the Purest Taste of Umami?” by Theresa Hedrick, MS, RD
MSG and the Umami Flavor
Fact: Umami IS monosodium glutamate. Yes, umami, the stuff the chefs are raving about, is glutamate. Some chefs are in the know. I’ve seen articles in publications like Cook’s Illustrated, discussing how glutamate is responsible for the umami taste. Fear not the “monosodium” term, as it just refers to how glutamate exists in a salt form (one sodium molecule). As soon as it dissolves, it becomes glutamic acid again in the body.
Glutamate is nothing to be feared in the least. Also known as “glutamic acid,” it is essential for vital body functions such as our immune system. Indeed, the GI tract, where much of our bodies’ immune systems are located, is absolutely loaded with glutamate. There is far more glutamate in your body at this moment than you’d ever get from eating MSG in your food. That’s because your body can make its own glutamate.
More from “Glutamate: No Reason to Fear, Every Reason to Enjoy” by Dr. Keith-Thomas Ayoob, EdD, RD, FADA
