Umami is one of the five basic tastes, alongside sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. It has been described as savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats. Umami represents the taste of the amino acid L-glutamate and 5-ribonucleotides such as guanosine monophosphate (GMP) and inosine monophosphate (IMP) . Glutamate occurs naturally in the human body and in many delicious foods we eat every day, including aged cheeses, cured meats, tomatoes, mushrooms, salmon, steak, anchovies, and green tea. Umami has a mild but lasting aftertaste associated with salivation and a sensation of furriness on the tongue, stimulating the throat, the roof, and the back of the mouth. By itself, umami is not palatable, but it makes a great variety of foods pleasant, especially in the presence of a matching aroma. Umami is not the same as salty, although it can enhance the flavor of salty foods. Umami is often confused with "deliciousness," but whether something tastes good or not is a comprehensive yet subjective evaluation determined by elements such as taste, aroma, texture, and temperature, besides other factors such as appearance, color, and shape, as well as ones physical condition, surrounding environment, cultural background, and previous experiences.