Is MSG good or bad? Are you eating too much Chinese take-out?

Is MSG good or bad? 

Are you experiencing any side effects from consuming too much MSG? 

What are MSG's effects on the body?

 

This is one of the confusing issues in health. One would think that after all these years of research, people would have resolved this but it has become one of those unsolved dilemmas that persist on and on. Kind of like the mysteries of Stonehenge :-) One day, it is a burial site and the next day, it is a sophisticated astronomical observation site.

What is MSG? 

MSG (Mono sodium glutamate) is a sodium salt of glutamic acid (an amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein). This was isolated by a scientist in Japan in 1907and then marketed as "Aji no moto" or "the essence of taste". In Japan, MSG is supposed to give "umami" or a "savory taste" when used in cooking. This company went on to become a money spinner and entered various markets across the world. So when you want to step into a Chinese restaurant and wonder why your home-made Chow mein does not taste the same, it's probably because they add MSG as a flavor enhancer. 

Effects of MSG on the body and brain

Now there was a furore caused in the 1960s that MSG was bad for health, claiming that it is an excitotoxin or neurotoxin which has degenerative effects on the brain and the nervous system. According to scientists, MSG has been linked to degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and also causes migraine headaches, asthma attacks, heart irregularities, etc. 

 

Excitoxicity basically means that it allows Ca2+ to enter cells and the infiltrated Ca2+ causes the production of enzymes which in turn destroy cell components such as the cytoskeleton (structure within the cytoplasm that maintains the cell structure), cell membrane and DNA.

 

Side-effects of MSG on the body include headaches, heart palpitations, muscle weakness.

 

Foods that are high in MSG

 

These are mainly processed foods such as instant noodles and chips, fast food, soups, frozen meals, condiments, etc. 

Fast food restaurants like McDonalds, Chick-a-Fil,  Popeye's, KFC use MSG in their chicken sandwich to enhance the flavor of food and to add a savoury taste.

Is eating too much MSG bad for you?

But I can't help wondering how these effects are shown in Asian populations, especially since MSG is an integral part of the Asian diets such as Japanese, Chinese cooking, etc. This becomes all the more strange when you consider the fact that Glutamate is found naturally in sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Shiitake mushrooms, certain types of seaweed and various meats and fish.

So is MSG good or bad for you? Well, it's better to avoid chemicals in general and to stick with natural flavours from spices but if you really have a hankering for some Chinese food, have it in moderation.Eating MSG every day is bad for you.

 

Some people have a sensitivity to MSG that manifests itself as headaches, muscle tightness and weakness.

 

Generally, eating too much Chinese food with high-sodium soy sauces and MSG can lead to headaches.Too much of sodium intake also leads to belly bloat and your body holding on to excess water. Learn ways on how you can lose your water weight.

 

Please give me your two cents on these.