Would you like to spruce up that same old salad dressing? Would you care to know how to make those roasted vegetables irresistibly delicious? Or would you just prefer to eat more salad and roasted vegetables in the first place, but haven’t tried because they taste so bland?
I want to share a sneak technique with you today that will make your taste buds smile!
Let’s talk about liquid spices.
This is a great new addition to your spice cabinet that will surely become a firm staple in no time, just wait and see! And make sure to add them to the fridge once opened!
What’s the secret of liquid spices? They stimulate a 5th taste sensation, beyond the typical sweet, sour, salty and bitter, called “umami”, which is Japanese for “yummy tasty.” – Tweet this!
About 100 years ago, Japanese Scientist, Ikeda Kikunae, discovered umami receptors on our tongue triggered by aged, dried or fermented foods such as aged cheese, dried tomatoes, mushrooms, fried meats and soy sauce. [1]
Umami is created when it interacts with part of a protein, the amino acid glutamate, which also functions as an excitatory neurotransmitter, and also plays a role in our gut health [2]. When glutamate breaks down, for example during the cooking process, with fermentation, sun-ripening or natural aging, the resultant by-product is the yummy taste we so enjoy. [3]
We may also be familiar with umami as this is what the chemical flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) triggers, making us enjoy food and wanting more. [4] While we wish to avoid added, chemically derived MSG, as certain highly sensitive individuals can react to it, and it is mainly used to flavor highly processed foods we do not wish to consume on a Conquering Cancer diet, we do want to embrace natural food sources that satisfy our taste buds in the same way.
Coconut Aminos
Coconut Aminos is a sweet/salty brown liquid spice made, not from the actual coconut, but from organic coconut tree sap, or rather coconut blossom nectar, fermented and then mixed with dried mineral infused sea salt.
Liquid Aminos
Liquid aminos is made from non-genetically modified (non-GMO) soy protein and thus has a considerable amino acid profile. It is different than regular soy sauce in that it is actually made from isolated soy protein, whereas soy sauce is brewed from a water-roasted grain mixture to which fermented soy beans and a yeast or mold culture have been added.
Liquid Aminos gives you a slightly different flavor and nutrient profile.
When it comes to our liquid spices, we want to be mindful that they contain no added sugar or chemical additives that could interfere with our body’s functioning. – Tweet this!
We ideally want to eat pure ingredients, which means you want to cook from scratch. How do we make our meals tasty? By using these little gems. Liquid spices are great addition to our spice selection.
We do need to be mindful of ingredients, always!
Soy sauce, for example, can contain gluten, unless it is Tamari Soy Sauce. Many other liquid spices that are not mentioned in this blog are possible sources of gluten, so always check the labels thoroughly if you have a gluten or wheat issues.
Besides Tamari Soy Sauce, I only use Coconut Aminos and Liquid Aminos which are gluten-free, and add scrumptious, almost caramelized flavor to salads, roasted vegetables, soups, stews, or casseroles.
Related Article: Best Flavor Trick Ever! Introducing Spice Blends.
REFERENCES
[1] Vierich, T.A. und Vilgis, T.A. “Aroma – Die Kunst des Würzens”, Stiftung Warentest Berlin, 2013 [2] Brosnan, J.T. & Brosnan, M.E. Amino Acids (2013) 45: 413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-012-1280-4 [3] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/umami-what-is-it-anyway_n_6355960 [4] https://guide.michelin.com/hk/en/hong-kong-macau/dining-out/what-is-umami/news
