Which are the five basic tastes?

• A. Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami
• B. Sweet, sour only
• C. Salt, bitter, sour only
• D. Sweet, sour, and salty only

Answer: (A)

Five basic tastes are sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. This set reflects the distinct taste qualities that our taste buds can detect, with umami tied to savory compounds like glutamate. The other options leave out at least one of these modalities, so they don’t capture the full list. For example, one option lists only three tastes, another misses sweet, and another omits umami, leaving an incomplete set. It’s also helpful to note that tastes are different from other sensations like spiciness or fat, which are not basic tastes.