MSG
Last night I ordered Chinese food and on the menu it said "Very little MSG added". Since I couldn't really remember what it was, and why it was bad for you I ate it anyways and did a little research tonight. MSG stands for monosodium glutamate which is a sodium salt of the amino acid "glutamic acid". Studies show that it acts as a nerve impulse stimulator in the brain as well as other tissue areas. It is used as a flavor enhancer in food. It is made by using bacteria and yeast species to ferment carbohydrates. Often it is produced by fermenting starches, sugar cane, or molasses. Not only is it used in Asian food restaurants it is often used in processed and canned foods.
The health concerns associated with MSG are the subject of many studies. When injected into lab animals it has resulted into damage of nerve cells in the brain. When consumed through food it has seemed to be metabolized with little to no affects. It has been said that it is safe when eaten at minimal levels. The most prominent study was done in 1995 by the FASEB and reported findings of an unknown percentage of people who may react badly and develop "MSG symptom complex" with symptoms of burning sensation, numbness, and tingling in the back of the neck arms and back as well as headache nausea and more. Some people with severe poorly controlled asthma have had symptoms of "MSG symptom complex" No long term effects have been proven yet although scientists still wonder if it could somehow cause the same problems as when injected into animals when consumed in certain situations. For more information check out this link.
[Emily Bell]
Update:
Thanks for letting me know I forgot my name! How stupid. Many of you have asked about the relationship between MSG and its popular attachment to Asian cuisine. I believe this is most likely because they often use it as a flavor enhancement but also because it was first commercialized in Japan. There are Asian restaurants that use no MSG at all and normally that is advertised right on the menu. It is very commonly used as a preservative in things like RAMEN-definitely, salad dressings, bouillon cubes used for soups/gravy etc. However in moderation I think your all safe after my research!
posted by PWH @ 7:53 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
I recently read a book entitled Salt by Mark Kurlansky and it also said that MSG wasn't as bad as people made it out to be. I think it has earned a bad name for itself, when really it is not that evil. As to the injecting it into animals: I am sure many things are damaging when injected into the body. Injecting anything other than medicine might end up doing some damage. So lets not point any fingers at MSG, until we really find out what its deal is.
-Calin Darabus
Doesn't MSG make you tired when you consume a good amount of it? I think I heard that was a side effect of it doing bad things. It would be interesting if it wasn't actually bad for you.
The seasoning in ramen noodle is LOADED with MSG, so if your concerned about eating it, lay low with the ramen seasoning.
remember to post your name.
Nick Cline
Yea, my friend has a bad reaction to it. I just wanted to add that when msg is in canned food is used as a preservative. Although they save food, preservatives are not really good for you so I've heard. What kind of effects can preservatives have on people?
-Katie Cyr
Nice blog. Do Asians regularly use MSG in other countries. If so why do they try to minimize it in US foods. It leads me to believe that Asians aren't as negatively affected by Msg like America are. I wonder if they bulit up an immunity to Msg?
-Alex Pavidapha
Great post, I've never known all that much about MSG, just tried to avoid it. Do you know its origin? Why is it so common to asian food?
p.s. You should put your name in your post, so you get credit! :)
-Jane de Verges
Interesting article. I did not know this about MSG, but considering the wide array of food products it may be in, consumed once in a while might not be that harmful. Maybe long term studies need to be done, to demonstrate its true effects.
-Julio Rodriguez.
I've heard a bunch of arguments for and against MSG and it always seems to come to the same conclusion that you did, when eaten in little amounts, it's fine. With all the chemicals going into our preserved foods, however, it would be interesting to see what kind of long term studies are being performed now to look at those side-effects, if there are any. I wonder how the FDA approves chemicals to be used in preservatives and how long tests are run before they are deemed safe?
-Maura Mulvey
Yeah, MSG is a real problem.. how about we flavor our food with some spices?? now that would be both healthy and tasty for us! have you heard of any asian msg free restaurants? I hear amherst chinese is a good locally grown place to eat!
~Rachael C.
I heard a long time ago that MSG made you either tired or really hyper. What else is MSG in that is popular? Why is it mostly heard of in Chinese food? Nice blog!
-Alyson Paige
I've read that MSG was first found by a Japanese chemist who noticed that raw fish first wrapped in Kombu, a type of seaweed, always tasted better than fish that did not. Interesting read - I am glad to hear it causes few effects.
[Nathan Beck]
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