It’s true: Calories matter if you want to lose weight. But there may be a new component to weight loss few people are utilizing, according to new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
According to their research, adding “umami” to food–a flavor described best as being savory–may help people eat fewer calories due to its ability to enhance satiety.
The research was led by Martin R. Yeomans, a Professor of Experimental Psychology from the University of Sussex.
“Monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been shown to increase satiety when combined with protein,” say researchers, whose study was published in the August 2014 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “We assessed effects of a combination of monosodium glutamate and inosine 5′-monophosphate (MSG/IMP) provided either alone or in a high-energy, high-carbohydrate and -protein soup on appetite during ingestion and postingestive satiety.”
Recruiting 26 volunteers described as having “little restraint,” Yeomans had them first eat a breakfast with a fixed amount of calories. Then, after their meal was finished, he had them eat a high-protein soup containing a special type of MSG designed to have a umami flavor–something revered as a “fifth taste” by the Japanese, where the term originated.
As a result, he found that those who ate the soup with the special MSG ate significantly less food due to improved satiety. In addition, the participants seemed to enjoy the soup more, reporting better satisfaction from consuming it.
“MSG/IMP+ conditions significantly reduced subsequent intake more than the MSG/IMP- condition did irrespective of energy,” says Yeomans. “The addition of MSG/IMP to a low-energy preload had a biphasic effect on appetite by stimulating appetite during ingestion and enhancing postingestive satiety.”
Basically, Yeomans says that the soup was tastier to the participants–and as a result, they felt more satisfied after finishing it, meaning they were less likely to eat more food.
That’s good news for dieters.
“Everyone then sat down for an identical lunch, and the scientists tracked how much the volunteers ate as well as asked them questions about their appetite and how full they felt,” says Alexandra Sifferlin, a TIME news contributor. “The diners who ate the MSG-laced soup consumed less of their lunch, but still say they felt satisfied, suggesting that umami may have a role in regulating eating.”
How to Get Umami in Your Diet
It’s weird, but it works: Adding “umami” to your diet could help you eat fewer calories.
So how do you add more umami to your diet–naturally? If you’re not down with sprinkling MSG over your food, Reader’s Digest says there are plenty of natural foods that mimic the same taste of umami–such as beef, shellfish, or even carrots. Keeping the protein content high also helps in achieving full satiety during a meal.
Readers: What are some other tricks you use to eat fewer calories?
Sources:
Umami May Help With Weight Loss – Time.com
Study: “Umami” MSG Flavoring Improves Satiety; Lowers Food Consumption Naturally – Nutrition.org
13 Foods With Natural Umami – RD.com
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