I've always heard that MSG is bad for us. But a recent ad campaign by a leading brand that has a lot of MSG said that this is just an urban legend. Which is true?

A few reasons why MSG is bad for your body

MSG stimulates the pancreas to release insulin into the blood stream even when there are not any carbohydrates in the dish for the insulin to act on.

Your blood sugar ends up dropping because of this flood of insulin, and then you end up hungry again an hour or so later

MSG tricks your body into thinking that the food you are eating is nutritious, even if it is not because taste buds detect the free glutamic acid that is in MSG. In “taste bud language”, this translates to “hey, there’s protein in this food I’m tasting!”. Therefore, your brain gets the signal that the food you are eating is actually nutritious, while more than likely, it is not.

But if it's so bad for you, then why do most Asian dishes still contain it? And why aren't a lot of Asians sick because of it?

MSG is an excitotoxin, which in a nut shell means, these chemical transmitters excite your brain cells to death.
Some possible effects of MSG are as follows:
Seizures
Brain cell death
Brain damage
Allergies
Headaches
Strokes
Hypoglycemia
Brain Tumors

martha_c - 23 October 2008 04:01 AM

But if it's so bad for you, then why do most Asian dishes still contain it? And why aren't a lot of Asians sick because of it?

Well, we all know that smoking is bad for you, yet a lot of people still smoke. I guess MSG tastes really good when added to food, so a lot of people still consume it

There have been research and studes done that would affect on MSG foods. Physical symptoms like migraines, nausea, digestive upsets, drowsiness, heart palpitations, hair loss, asthma, anaphylactic shock, rapidly increasing diabetes, and many other complaints. The used of MSG on restaurant are widely spreadng and one syndrome in these are Chinese restaurant syndrome.

According to the FDA, MSG Symptom Complex or MSG side effects can result in:

Numbness
Burning sensation
Tingling
Facial pressure or tightness
Chest pain
Headache
Nausea
Rapid heartbeat
Drowsiness
Weakness
Difficulty breathing for asthmatics

How do you identify if something that you order from the restaurant contains MSG? In restaurants, it is not really required to specify if a food contains MSG.

First, it goes without saying that you have to avoid processed food.

Second, corn, soy, dairy and yeast naturally contain MSG.

Lastly (I am not sure if this is scientifically proven): if you palpitate when you smell the food, chances are, the food contains MSG.

If you accidentally take something with MSG, take TAURINE supplement.

When dining in a Japanese restaurant, avoid wasabi. When dining in a fastfood, avoid french fries

What about Benadryl? It's a general first aid for allergic reactions, right?

Since benadryl is antihistamine and beta blocker drug it is the bst way to cure or a first aid when allergy attacks. One side effects it feels drowsy to the person who will take it.

Yes benadryl is the medincine or first aid whenever you have allergies sproting in your body. One side effect is drowsyness.

concepcion1 - 27 November 2008 05:36 AM

When dining in a Japanese restaurant, avoid wasabi. When dining in a fastfood, avoid french fries

Are you kidding, french fries?

Yes. Most fast food restaurant use MSG in their potatoes for flavoring.

I’m using umami or MSG in my recipe. It gives out the real flavor of the food. Just use a drop of it whenever you are cooking a dish. It is also good for stir fring and soup flavoring.

I use MSG in my food. MSG brings out the taste of the food without it the food is not good.

I don’t use MSG it makes me fell dizzy and headaches. This is not a natural flavoring for food. I still stick with salt, pepper, sugar etc.

Is MSG good for pregnant women?

Nope, it is not good. That’s why pregnant women are being warned about the food that they eat. MSG is bad for them and it might affect the children that they are carrying.