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Pamor MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), aka mecin, is undoubtedly the mainstay of Indonesian dishes. Although it is often labeled bad because it can be addictive, did you know that some healthy foods actually contain natural MSG which can help you lose weight? Of course this is not just any MSG. Umami is the mastermind behind the benefits of this natural MSG. Have you ever heard of umami?
Umami is…
Umami is a newfound taste. Simply put, umami is a distinct savory taste and is distinct from the four basic tastes that the tongue can recognize - sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.
The savory taste of umami comes from the amino acid glutamate, a natural flavor enhancer. The human body produces a small amount of the amino acid glutamate, which functions to maintain optimal body functions.
You can find natural glutamic amino acids in almost all basic food ingredients, especially high protein foods and some vegetables such as tomatoes and seaweed. Naturally, glutamic acid is found in 10-25% of all protein in food.
The savory taste of umami has inspired the manufacture of the commercial MSG that you have been consuming. Today, MSG is made not from processing seaweed broth but from fermentation of starch, cane sugar, and molasses (a byproduct of cane or beet sugar).
List of foods that contain umami (natural MSG)
The following are foods that naturally contain glutamate so that they have an umami taste.
- Tomatoes are one of the foods that contain glutamate. Per 100 grams of tomatoes contain 140 mg of free glutamic acid.
- Mushroom. Dried mushrooms usually have a stronger umami taste than fresh mushrooms. This is because there is a breakdown of chemicals during the drying process. Cooking the mushrooms also enhances the umami flavor present in them.
- Beef, chicken, duck, and seafood, such as fish, shellfish, squid, and shrimp also have an umami flavor. So do not be surprised if you really like this protein source food. Only slightly spiced, this food is still delicious and has its own taste.
- Cheese, such as parmesan and cheddar, have a very strong umami flavor. Whatever food is added with cheese, it must be delicious. The older the cheese, at around six months or so, the more umami it will contain.
- Fermented foods, such as soy sauce, fish sauce, miso, and other seasonings that come from fermented grains are also very rich in umami flavor.
- Other vegetables, such as onions, broccoli, asparagus, pokcoy, beets, and seaweed also have delicious umami flavors.
In fact, breast milk contains 10 times more glutamate than cow's milk.
Then, how can umami cut calories?
Have you ever imagined the taste of umami? With the umami flavor in a food, the food is actually delicious without the need for a lot of added spices. You can actually use this to cut the calories that enter your body.
Reporting from the American Culinary Federation, research shows that adding food ingredients with umami flavor to dishes can increase the salty taste, so you don't need to add salt anymore. Therefore, the natural savory taste thanks to the umami present in beef, for example, eliminates the need for you to add a lot of salt to your cooking. You also don't need to add margarine when cooking meat. Meat has a fat content that makes it delicious without the need to add other fats (from oil or margarine).
By reducing the addition of salt and saturated fat (oil or margarine), of course you also cut the calories that enter your body. Reducing the use of salt can also lower the risk of high blood pressure.
Apart from that, umami can also increase the enjoyment of food, making you feel satisfied after eating, even if only a little. This helps you control your appetite and portions of food, so that the calories that enter the body are not excessive.
A study in the journal Appetite has also shown that adding umami to a low-calorie broth can help middle-aged women consume fewer total calories in one day and eat fewer snacks and sugars later in the day.
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