The idea of enhancing food flavors originally comes from drying and soaking the seaweed kombu to release an element the Japanese call "umami," which can be roughly translated as "savory." This element is used to bring out tastiness in other foods, and is commonly used in many Asian cuisines. In the west, mono sodium glutamate or MSG was developed similarly as a popular condiment after the advent of canned, frozen and pre-cooked foods became popular, helping to make foods packed in these ways more delicious. The component in MSG is similar to glutamic acid, an amino acid produced in your bodiy and that is present in every type of food. Glutamic acid stimulates taste buds, allowing you to experience more taste in your foods. There is no nutritional value in MSG, and when eaten in excess, it can lead to headaches, migraines, thirst, asthma and even depression. Many people experience a band of pain encircling their heads after eating Chinese food, which is often loaded with MSG. Some foods are labeled "No MSG" foods, which can be misleading. No MSG foods often contain free glutamate such as hydrolyzed protein, which is another form of MSG under a different name. MSG is also found in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals (especially in gel caps in the form of glutemic acid) and dietary supplements under other names.
What to Look for
Many seemingly "no MSG foods" are loaded with free glutamate or MSG, with processed foods being the worst offenders. Parmesan cheese. among natural foodstuff, has one of the highest levels of free glutamate. Ripe cheese, cured meats, dried mushrooms, fermented fish sauce, Marmite, chicken and sausage products, ranch dressing, gravy, dipping sauces, salty snack chips and anything with cheese powder added are also guilty of containing MSG. Additionally instant soups, packaged Caesar salad, fish sauce, soy sauce, deli meats, canned food, seasoning salt, gelatin mold dessert, packaged casseroles, diet drinks, ultra pasteurized dairy foods, textured protein and Worcester sauce are foods to watch out for. Carrageen, found in over-ripe tomatoes, is also a culprit, being naturally high in free glutamate as is anything enriched or protein fortified. A rule of thumb, the saltier or more processed a processed food is, the likelier it is to contain MSG or free glutamate.
Common Pitfalls
Make sure you check all labels on packaged foods. Even those that claim to be "natural" can contain protein hydrolysates which can contain up to 20 percent MSG. Other names to watch out for are calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, "Ajinomoto," gourmet powder, glutacyl, glutavene, autolyzed yeast extract and hydrologized vegetable protein. The best way to avoid MSG is to buy organic foods. When dining at a Chinese or other type of Asian restaurant, ask that your food be prepared without MSG. Use vinegar and wasabi instead of soy sauce when you can. If you do contract any of the adverse symptoms through MSG ingestion, fresh ginger and fruit will help to alleviate the problem.
Member Comments