Savory foods help your brain manage appetite

In Massachusetts, researchers have found that consuming a broth rich in umami – savory taste – can cause subtle changes in the brain that promote healthy eating behaviors and food choices, especially in women at risk of obesity.

Umami is a Japanese word to express a delicious, savory meal, and it represents one of the five basic tastes, together with sweet, salty, bitter, and sour. A key component of umami taste is glutamate, a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid that can be found in nearly all foods, and especially in foods high in protein such as dairy products, fish, and meat.

Researchers found more engagement of a brain area linked to successful self-regulation during food choice when they evaluated changes in the brains of healthy young women after consuming chicken broth with monosodium glutamate. Previous studies have shown that intake of a broth with MSG prior to a meal can decrease appetite.