Monosodium Glutamate

What is MSG? The scientific name for it is monosodium glutamate - see why I call it MSG! MSG is a flavour enhancer - and it does exactly that. We’ve all eaten McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC etc - but have you eaten Asian takeout? Have you bought frozen meals from the supermarket? Do you buy ready-made pasta sauces, canned soups, stock cubes, potato chips, grainwaves, instant noodles or condiments? Next time you consume one of these foods, try it on an empty stomach - especially something soy flavored. Eat a considerable portion and then close your eyes. Do you feel strange?

You probably don’t feel anything abnormal. Why? Because today’s society eats all of the aforementioned foods on a regular basis without taking a look at the ingredient list.

Fact: MSG is in almost all of the foods mentioned above.

Fact: MSG has no flavor of its own

Fact: You are possibly suffering from side effects of MSG overload and don’t know it

Fact: The MSG police is here!

Why are the MSG police so interested in these foods?

At my workplace I am known as the MSG police. My workmates often bring foods to work which they enjoy eating - until they look over and see me shaking my head. They have no idea what they are consuming. They simply purchase food that looks good, smells good, tastes good - and has a decent price. I used to be in this category.

Are you in this category? Are you like me - working 9 hours a day - not really able to afford fresh organic produce, and with not enough time to really browse the supermarket to buy premium quality, healthy goods? Are you also tired and prone to headaches, extra fat around the midsection, and undesirable skin?

It is quite possible you are suffering from the overload of too much MSG.

But what is it that makes MSG SOO bad?

Even though I’m called the ‘MSG police’ - I’ve just said to my workmates that ‘its just bad - I don’t know why, but its bad!’

So now I’ll try explain why.

Some describe MSG as a ‘neurotoxic’ flavor enhancer. The ingredient that causes these adverse reactions is ‘processed free glutamic acid’ . This ingredient is found in processed foods - sometimes dairy products too - but it is not found in unadulterated vegetables, fish and meat. MSG and aspartme (a whole ‘nother article!) often induce similar reactions - and these reactions are because of the aforementioned ingredient. Think about this: if MSG wasn’t bad, then why is it hidden?

My sister-in-law is highly allergic to MSG. If she consumes the smallest amount, she may go into cardiac arrest. My husband and I also recently discovered that we react to MSG. For a time we stayed away completely from processed foods, and upon consuming some Asian food one day, we both almost instantly felt a vicious headache and weird tingling sensations in our head and neck. It was quite scary!

How is MSG made?

It actually was not processed commercially in the United States until the late 1940’s, where it was introduced from Japan. Today it is made from fermented sugar cane, sugar beets, starch or molasses. It has no flavor of its own but when it is added to food it reacts with saliva to make food have a richer flavor.

What if I don’t have any reactions?

Personally, before I had that weird reaction, I ate anything and everything. I didn’t care about what I ate. But then I started to become aware of how the food we eat affects our lifestyle - depending on timing, quantity, quality, etc. I then began to realise that I have only one body and that I want to treat it right - if I want to expect great things from my body then I need to provide adequate nutrition that is as natural and unadulterated as possible. So I cut out MSG as much as possible. Results? Yes, I feel less tired, I have far fewer headaches - now my headaches are traceable, before I would get them for no tangible reason - and I also have more energy.

So maybe you don’t have any reactions. But don’t you want to treat your body right?

I still worry about MSG. This is because there are very few guidelines as to how it ought to be listed in ingredients. Sometimes it appears as msg, sometimes as monosodium glutamate and others as 621, or flavor enhancer 621. However sometimes all that is said is ‘no MSG added’ or simply ’spices’. This website contains other places where MSG is found: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html .

So be aware, be really aware of the food you are consuming. Read the ingredients labeling. Inquire at restaurants. Avoid places that commonly use MSG. Its for your own good!

Tags: , monosodium-glutamate, MSG

Filed under: Diet