Re:An MSG Convert Visits the High Church of Umami
by ajross on Friday April 27, 2018 @05:34PM
(#16944544)
Interestingly, though (just to digress -- your point is quite valid) it's not an essential amino acid for humans. Obviously it's required to make proteins, but if we don't get enough in our diet our bodies will synthesize it.
It's just interesting that the molecule we evolved to recognize as a "protein!" marker in our food turns out not to be one of the protein submolecules we actually need to surive.
Re:An MSG Convert Visits the High Church of Umami
by tschwimmer on Friday April 27, 2018 @09:23PM
(#16945644)
I agree with you, but it makes sense that we may have evolved to be able to synthesize it. Since it's such a crucial amino acid, it would be an advantageous adaptation to do so.
Re:An MSG Convert Visits the High Church of Umami
by jannotti on Friday April 27, 2018 @06:02PM
(#16944813)
I suppose that makes sense if it's one of the easier ones to produce, so many animals can produce it. So it would be a better indicator of general protein than any of the rarer ones would be.
Re:An MSG Convert Visits the High Church of Umami
by tptacek on Friday April 27, 2018 @07:00PM
(#16945089)
Supposedly, the glutamate you absorb in your intestine from food is an important precursor for glutathione, which protects your mucosa from dietary toxins. It's possible that you need to consume some level of it for healthy digestion.
Re:An MSG Convert Visits the High Church of Umami
by Nomentatus on Friday April 27, 2018 @05:33PM
(#16944533)
Plus a neurotransmitter and a fuel as I remember. Modern domesticated plants have far larger amounts than other plants, however.
> it is an essential building block of protein found in muscle tissue, the brain, and other organs.
It's not only found in every organ, it's present in 99.6% of all human proteins, out of 20328 only 72 do not use glutamate, and of those 29 are keratin proteins.