Maligned

The REAL truth about MSG

Let me make one thing very clear at the onset of this post – I am in no way trying to convince anyone to have an opinion about Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) other than the opinion they already have. I have tried, over the years, to convince many people to abandon foolish ideas, and frankly, this never works out. It seems that if people believe something, then evidence and reasoning be damned – they will continue to believe it. So I am writing here to influence those who really have no opinion on the merits (or demerits) of using MSG in food.

First, what is MSG ? It is a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid found naturally in a great many of the foods we eat. If was first isolated and marketed in Japan, where it was discovered to be a key element in the ‘fifth taste’, Umami (The others are Salty, Bitter, Sweet, and Sour). Umami is the ‘savory’ taste associated with meats and aged cheeses, but can be experienced in a lot of foods. MSG is closely associated with Umami, as this list of foods with naturally occurring MSG can attest to.

So what’s the big deal? Well, ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’ for one thing. This is a condition, when upon eating foods with MSG, a person experiences headache, numbness, etc. Wow, sounds scary, right? Well, not so much. Because every valid double-blind scientific study has shown that MSG in food does not cause these effects. Just ask the FDA, European SCF , the WHO, and the Mayo Clinic. Of course, why bother with science, when you can ask sites like MSG Myth, Rense (written by an unknown author !) , or my favorite, MSG Truth (HaHaHa). Seriously, just take a look at what MSG Truth says we should avoid :

AVOID all CHICKEN items
AVOID all SAUSAGE items
AVOID all PARMESAN products
AVOID all Ranch dressings
AVOID Croutons
AVOID KFC

AVOID Dipping Sauces

AVOID Gravy
AVOID Soups
CANNED AND INSTANT SOUP
CANNED TUNA
FRESH TURKEY

While some of these things may not be especially god for you, it is for reasons other than MSG. Seriously, if MSG were bad for you, I think a lot of us would be in pretty bad condition ! Or has been said, “If MSG is bad for you, why isn’t everyone in Asia walking around with a headache?”. For a truly entertaining expose of the whole concept, see these two videos (Part One , Part Two) from Food Network TV Host Ted Allen’s show, Food Detectives. Then read the comments – they are hysterical – and as I said, if you believe it, then facts do not matter.

So why do I bother? Two reasons:

• MSG is a food seasoning, and a good one at that.
• MSG has less sodium (about 60%) than salt.

No, I do not recommend dumping mass quantities of MSG on your food, any more than I would recommend dumping huge quantities of salt (or any other seasoning) on or in your food. But limited use of MSG is actually quite good as a substitute for salt. I generally use 1/2 salt and 1/2 MSG when salt is called for, though never in baking (it just does not taste right).

So where do I get MSG? You would think it is impossible, judging by how many products and restaurants advertise “No MSG”, but it is not. B&G Foods has long produced Ac’cent, which is pure MSG, and is found in nearly every supermarket’s spice aisle. And if you have access to an Asian grocery store, look for Ajinomoto, the original MSG created in Japan.