Umami, which means “deliciousness” in Japanese, is described as savory and meaty and often illustrated by referring to the full flavors one experiences when eating foods like Parmesan cheese, mushrooms and truffles. The food industry is excited about umami because it's a way to add flavor – and appeal – to foods without extra fat, salt and artificial ingredients.

Umami was originally identified and named in Japan about 100 years ago by scientist Kikunae Ikeda. Based on his finding that foods that have the satisfaction of umami are high in the amino acid glutamate, he came up with a way to add the umami flavoring to foods. His additive is still used today: it's monosodium glutamate, more commonly referred to as MSG.

In addition to Parmesan cheese and mushrooms, natural ways to incorporate umami into a meal include cooking with Worcestershire or Thai fish sauce, tomato juices, paste and sauce, aged cheeses, and some meats including meat stocks that are made with bones.