Which statement accurately lists the five basic tastes?

• A. Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Umami
• B. Sweet, Sour, Salty, Sour, Umami
• C. Sweet, Spicy, Sour, Bitter, Umami
• D. Sweet, Salty, Creamy, Bitter, Umami

Answer: (A)

The five basic tastes are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Taste receptor cells on the tongue are specialized to detect these categories, sending signals to the brain to help identify what we’re tasting and whether it’s safe or beneficial to eat. Sweet reflects sugars and certain sweeteners; sour indicates acidity; salty corresponds to salt content; bitter often signals potentially harmful substances; and umami detects savory compounds like glutamate and certain nucleotides found in protein-rich foods.

This set captures all five recognized tastes, which is why it’s the correct choice. Other options mix in sensations that aren’t tastes—like spicy, which comes from pain receptors and the trigeminal nerve rather than taste buds—or include textures like creamy, or repeat a taste and omit umami, so they don’t form the complete list.