Page 4 - ROOT by Brock November December 22

Spice It Up: UMAMI

Like the concept of primary colors, you flavor in vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and
cannot recreate your basic primary tastes by mushrooms. You may also find this flavor in
combining other flavors. There are five basic fermented foods such as soy sauce, fish sauce,
tastes: sweet, spicy, salty, sour, and umami. and miso. Utilizing ingredients that provide
While you may connect the first four tastes the umami flavor can help reduce the use of
to different foods, umami may be harder to salt while cooking, which allows for healthier
identify. Umami is a Japanese word and does yet flavorful meals to be created.
not have a direct English translation; however, To increase the umami factor in your next
it refers to meaty or savory flavor sensations. savory meal, reduce the amount of salt used,
Usually, we use this to describe meatier dishes. and consider adding an ingredient or two such
Umami was discovered by a Japanese scientist, as mushrooms, cheeses, tomatoes, or miso!
Kikunae Ikeda, over one hundred years ago. You might be surprised at the additional flavor
However, it was only added as the fifth taste without the total amount of salt.
in 2002.
Umami refers to foods that contain the amino Source:
acid glutamate. You can find glutamate in
several foods, including meat, fish, cheese, and https://www.umamiinfo.com/what/
vegetables. In addition, you can find the umami whatisumami/

spotlight on superfOOds:

BLUEBERRIES
Blueberries are a small yet nutritionally dense You can use frozen blueberries in the same
fruit. Nutritionally speaking frozen blueberries applications as fresh ones. Frozen berries are
are comparable to fresh blueberries. In fact, great additions to smoothies, yogurt, and
frozen blueberries are harvested at their peak oatmeal, and are great for baking and even
ripeness, so they are likely to be more flavorful savory recipes. One great benefit to frozen
than fresh! blueberries is that they are available year-
round, so you’ll always be able to purchase
Like their fresh counterparts, frozen
blueberries are jam-packed with nutrients. them when you’re craving these flavorful
Blueberries are lower in carbohydrates than fruits. So, next time you are at the store, pick
other fruits and have about 4 grams of fiber up a bag of frozen berries!
per serving. They are also high in vitamins C Sources:
and K, contain a good source of manganese, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-
potassium, and zinc, and are a great source proven-benefits-of-blueberries
of antioxidants, especially anthocyanins. https://www.verywellfit.com/frozen-berries-
Anthocyanins are also the compounds that nutrition-facts-and-health-benefits-5075040
give blueberries their color.