Hello from Aiko at isfor WA, Oxford!
Thank you for joining our community of Japanese food lovers. I’m excited to share delicious recipes, cooking tips, and seasonal inspirations with you.
Let’s enjoy the journey of Japanese cuisine together!
Umami is known as the “fifth taste,” alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. When you taste umami — such as from dashi, a broth made with kombu (seaweed) and katsuobushi (shaved, dried bonito) — special receptors on your tongue detect compounds like glutamate and nucleotides.
Once these receptors are activated, they send signals to your brain’s gustatory cortex. This triggers several effects:
- Enhanced Flavour Perception: Umami helps your brain recognize and enjoy complex savoury flavours, making food taste richer and more satisfying.
- Increased Saliva Production: Your brain prompts your mouth to produce more saliva, improving digestion.
- Appetite Regulation: Umami can help regulate appetite by signaling fullness and satisfaction, which may prevent over-eating.
- Reward and Pleasure: Umami activates brain regions linked to pleasure and reward, like the hypothalamus and limbic system, making eating a more enjoyable experience.
In short, all good stuff! I’m all about tasty and healthy food!
Can’t wait for you to try them!
Happy Cooking!
Aiko
isfor WA
