What is Umami? History and taste of minds

Since then, as a man stopped just putting in his mouth what he managed to get, and began to cook, it's been almost 2 million years. During this time, considerable changes have occurred with culinary traditions, and with eating habits. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, new directions in cooking are born one after another. Molecular cuisine, for example, well, or raw food is no longer surprising. And that's what "minds" are, not everyone knows. In any case, millions of people are sure that they are alien and unknown.

But they are wrong. Unusual and strange they think only a word. The very phenomenon of minds concerns absolutely everyone. Let's understand.

Historical digression

The word "Umami" was born in the Far East. To be exact, in Japan. Literally it is not translated into any other language, but if it's not literally, then its meaning is something like: "tasty taste", "taste of tastiness" or something else in the same way. And since there was not an adequate word in the Russian language, I had to use Japanese.

Those who are just now decided to find out what the minds are, probably, will be surprised if they learn that in the Land of the Rising Sun this phenomenon is known a long time ago. And this word was first pronounced more than a century ago - in 1908. It happened not anywhere, but in the chemical laboratory of the capital's university, where Professor Kikune Ikeda worked. It was he who first identified a number of products, which, in his opinion, had a special taste. To them he carried asparagus, tomatoes, meat, cheese, and found the greatest concentration in dasi - broth from seaweed kombu.

The chemist set to work and soon isolated from the comb the substance glutamate - the very amino acid, which gives the food a special taste. Ikeda continued the research, and then received the relevant patents.

A little about physiology

Human language is able to recognize four tastes. All the rest are their combinations in various proportions. This is how the physiologists maintained until recently. Today, the scientific world is reviewing this theory.

Salty, sweet, sour, spicy ... And obviously something else! Unexplained, but understandable without words. Something that makes food divine. This is the mind. Taste number 5, as it was baptized by both culinary experts and physiologists.

This substance is not only recognized by our taste receptors, but also causes dependence. He wants to try again and again! What is there to say - we drive the minds! The fifth taste is so attractive to us that it is extremely difficult to refuse the products in which it is contained.

Where is the mind?

The list of products is considerable. It includes many varieties of cheeses, green peas, corn, meat, fish, fresh fruit. Incredibly large percentage of the content of minds in mushrooms, especially forest. Asparagus and olives are also valuable sources of glutamate.

Soy sauce is just a storehouse for those who have already learned what umami is, and decided to eat enough of it.

A considerable percentage is found in alcoholic beverages, especially in red wine.

But the palm tree is held by breast milk. And the milk of all other animals can not stand comparison with him, although this substance is present in it.

Experts agree that minds still need to be able to receive. The easiest way - boiling. Glutamate easily goes into the broth, it is not for nothing that it was isolated for the first time from soup dasi. The same thing with meat - in the raw rasprobovat minds is impossible. Another sure way is to pickle, pickle, ferment. That's why we do not eat raw meat. But the processed thermally or pickled - is yes.

It is quite another matter for vegetables. Umami is full and damp, so we gladly absorb some vegetables without any treatment.

Cunning Nature

The poison, contained in mushrooms and plants, has a bitter taste. The glucose needed for the brain is sweet. Mineral salts, naturally, are salted. Organic acids are always with a pleasant sourness. The same is true of minds. Studies have shown that the most rich in glutamate products, which have the greatest benefit.

In other words, what is dangerous for our health, we do not like our taste. And what is needed, we are attracted. Scientists joke that for the same reason Nature has made sex so enjoyable.

Umami moves us

Have you ever wondered when reading recipes for snacks with chicken or meat, which include a small amount of crushed anchovies? At first glance, an absolutely ridiculous combination, well, just neither fish nor meat. But what is the result! Thank the ancient Romans - they at one time invented the "garum" - a fermented fish sauce, similar in composition to many sauces of Far Eastern cuisine. The explanation is simple - fish proteins, fermented, split into amino acids, of which glutamate is easily released.

And how the children go crazy with the words "hamburger" and "pizza"! The point here is not at all in the sweetness of forbidden fruit, but just in the fifth taste. Pepperoni sausages, cheese (especially mozzarella), mushrooms, beef patties - it's all just glutamate stuff! But there is one more ingredient that surpasses all the others combined - tomato paste. The tomato is the record among the vegetables by the content of minds. Photos of pizza or burgers from fast food make our salivary glands work more actively, even the appearance of glutamate-rich foods can not leave us indifferent. What can we say about the smell?

Can you describe the taste of soy sauce? Tell us something, except that it is salty. But salt is salt! And adding a whole pair of spoons of soy sauce makes any dish some kind of soulful. The thing is that this product can be called a solution of minds, so high is its content.

Incidentally, this probably explains the worldwide love for Chinese cuisine. Indeed, no national cuisine has received such a distribution and recognition as the eastern one. Umami is used in it very widely, this explains everything.

Artificial analogue

Does the word "glutamate" cut your hearing? Unlike "Umami", this word is certainly familiar to everyone. Any child will say that the taste enhancer glutamate is always harmful and bad. Unfortunately, lack of knowledge often leads to delusions. In fact, the glutamate contained in the products is an absolutely natural substance, not harmful at all, but even useful.

But impure dealers have long thought of how to use our love for minds for selfish ends. The chemically produced glutamate sodium, or MSG, does not really benefit. But the main danger of it in the other is that they can be generously flavored with absolutely unhealthy products, and our receptors will react the same way. Therefore, people absorb cheap snacks and confectionery.

Guarding the Good

Once Professor Margot Gosni proposed to use minds in medical practice. For the first time it was applied in the gerontological center, in which Professor Gosni worked.

The diet of patients with digestive problems was revised. Of course, this concerned those who are inclined to refuse food, and not those who sin by overeating. This practice exists for the treatment of patients with anorexia.

Note to restaurateurs

Those who build a restaurant business, have long understood what minds are. A good boss knows that in order to make the guests simply happy, it is enough to combine in one dish 2-3 products rich in minds. The impression of the restaurant's cuisine will be the best, it will want to return again and again.

But some restaurateurs go on a different path, although they are aware of the magic power of the minds. MSG seasoning replaces useful (and expensive) ingredients, allowing you to get a "delicious taste" without philosophizing slyly. Unfortunately, today this phenomenon is quite common.

But it's completely vain! Around is full of the most useful products, rich with minds. Combine them, experiment, and most importantly - trust your receptors.