Posted on 09/01/2014 10:31:37 AM PDT by blam
Kevin Loria
August. 26, 2014
Monosodium glutamate, more commonly known as MSG, gets a bad rap.
People claim that it's a toxin that causes headaches and sweating, and that it leaves you feeling lethargic and flushed. The thing is, most research shows that that's not true at normal dietary levels.
Despite its umami flavor boosting power, rumors have given MSG a reputation so bad that many Chinese restaurants frequently put up "No-MSG" signs to assuage customer's fear. Some customers then put soy sauce on their food, adding the missing MSG in after the fact. Because it's delicious.
The folks at the American Chemical Society decided to bust some MSG myths in their latest Reactions video.
What Is MSG And What Does It Do?
MSG's flavor enhancing properties were first discovered in 1908 by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda, who wanted to understand how seaweed, which had been used by chefs for centuries, enhanced the flavor of foods.
Ikeda found that the key was a common amino acid — one of the building blocks for a protein — called L-Glutamate.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
They why do I feel like crap when I eat food with MSG added?
maybe because of the amount of sodium and water retention.
It may be safe, but I’ll skip the violent throbbing headaches I get from eating food with MSG, thank you very much.
Like everything, over use causes problems. Places that use cheap meat over use it.
Back in the 70s a meal at a Chinese restaurant was a guarantee of a migraine for me.
Today the restaurants use much less MSG, or none.
Back in the 70s a meal at a Chinese restaurant was a guarantee of a migraine for me.
Today the restaurants use much less MSG, or none.
You’re allergic to it as am I.
Nope, it starts almost immediately, even if I don’t know ts in there. Heart races, dizziness, and blood pressure increases.
While I only eat Chinese food, take-out, maybe twice a year . . . when I do . . . the first few bites I find it difficult to even swallow . . . I’m guessing a reaction to the MSG and then my very sensitive as in allergies must calm down and then I proceed to eat the rest of it . . . weird. But that is pretty much the only type of food that causes this reaction in my throat.
More MSG for me!
There was a crackdown years ago in NYC on MSG. I mean it can really make you feel sick for a few hours. It is the basis of that old seasoning “Accent.”
Join the club. I do my best to avoid known headache generator food. It isn’t a perfect strategy though.
http://www.hmdb.ca/metabolites/HMDB00148
this may explain the headaches...
“repeat after me”
“cell death....is a wonderful thing”
Nope, it starts almost immediately, even if I don’t know ts in there. Heart races, dizziness, and blood pressure increases.
Same here. Screw MSG, no matter what anyone says.
The last time I went to a Chinese restaurant, I had a brutal headache so bad within 30 minutes that my coworkers insisted I take the rest of the day off. In addition to the headache, my face turned beet red.
I eat eggs regularly. I eat salt in huge amounts. I don’t believe everything we eat is harmful regardless of who says it is bad.
But I’ve experienced what the article calls “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”, and I had it with no expectations in advance. It wasn’t a placebo effect.
I think it is largely in people’s heads. MSG shows up in the strangest of places. What some people ascribe to MSG is just simply people responding to the greatly-increased salt and fat in restaurant food.
It’s all food - I just eat it.
Too much of anything and I’m in the recliner saying “Uffdah”.
Not only does it give me headaches, it causes me to become very mentally focused for short periods of time.
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