Why do people like adding MSG in their diets?

Many people think that MSG tastes like meats. Some scientists have reported that this meat-like flavor actually comes from MSG’s stimulation of the glutamate receptors in our tongue, making it tastes like meats.

What is MSG?

The chemical name of MSG is called Monosodium Glutamate, which is a form of sodium salt. It is used in food preservation and flavoring. Glutamate is a natural substance that can be found in our human bodies and in many kinds of food that contain protein. Examples are dairy products, meats, legumes, tomatoes and mushrooms. Similar to soy sauce, fermented protein products can enhance a food’s flavor because of the presence of free glutamate in the food. Glutamate plays a significant role in metabolism of the living bodies. Most food contains 1%-35% proteins, in which there is about 35% glutamate. The artificially-made glutamate has no difference from the naturally-made glutamate inside our bodies. They can both undergo digestion to release energy for use. The most common type of MSG in the market is in a form of white crystals. Although there are different forms of MSG in the consumer market, the ingredients and effects do not really differ too much.

The History of MSG

The history of MSG can date back to more than 1500 years ago when some Chinese and Japanese women tried to cook with seaweed extracts to strengthen the flavors of the food. In 1908, the first research about MSG was done by a Japanese professor who discovered that the glutamate found in the seaweed extracts could enhance the flavor of a food. Since then, food scientists started to study more about glutamate. As technology improved, people now acquire MSG by fermentation of starch, sugar cane & sugar beets or molasses. There are more than 400,000 tons of MSG being produced every year in the world 1

The harmful MSG

The opinions about the side effects of MSG on human beings are divided. A person who is MSG sensitive may experience “numbness at the back of the neck radiating to both arms and the back, general weakness and palpitations” after eating food containing MSG2. Some people may also experience sweating, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomachache. Acute allergic reactions can occur within half an hour.

So…do I need to stop consuming MSG?As a matter of fact, the majority of our population is not allergic to MSG. Many clinical researches have not yet found any symptoms resulting from large consumption of MSG when taken with food 34567. On the other hand, the side effects of MSG can be minimized if it is taken together with food such as rice, pasta, or noodles.

Whether you want to stop eating MSG or not is always your choice. A small amount of MSG will not cause serious health problem to a person who is not allergic to it. Since many people believe Chinese cuisines always contain MSG, the syndrome of MSG sensitivity is also known as “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”. However, few people have realized that the portion of MSG put in one Chinese meal is far less than the amount of natural glutamate found in the food itself. According to the World Health Organization, a daily intake of MSG at or less than 120mg/kg of the body weight should cause no harm to our health. For instance, if you weigh 50kg, you should take no more than 6000mg of MSG per day. Yet, MSG is not recommended for infants. Therefore, lactating women should avoid MSG since it can be transferred to the babies through breastfeeding.

Reference:

1. www.SimonChau.hk

2. Kwok RHM. Chinese-restaurant syndrome. N Engl J Med 1968;278:796
[letter].

3. Prawirohardjono W, Dwiprahasto I, Astuti I, et al. The administration to Indonesians of monosodium L-gluta mate in Indonesian foods: an assessment of adverse reactions in a randomized double-blind, crosover, placebo- controlled study. J Nutr 2000;130(4S Suppl):1074–6S.

4. Bazzano G, D’Elia JA, Olson RE. Monosodium glutamate: feeding of large amounts in man and gerbils. Science 1970;169:1208–9.

5. Morselli PL, Garattini S. Monosodium glutamate and the Chinese restaurant syndrome. Nature 1970;227:611–2.

6. Zanda G, Franciosi P, Tognoni G, et al. A double blind study on the effects of monosodium glutamate in man. Biomedicine 1973;19:202–4.

7. Tung TC, Tung KS. Serum free amino acid levels after oral glutamate intake in infants and human adults. Nutr Rep Int 1980;22:431–43.