Fun Facts! II

MSG is Safer than Table Salt

Whenever we hear or read MSG, we think about a cancer-inducing seasoning. A compound that is bad for the health and usually mixed in nacho cheese, tortilla chips, canned soups and sauces, processed meats and bouillon mixes. But actually, it is a safe and healthier alternative in enhancing the flavor of the food than table salt. It is racism that ruins the reputation of MSG.

MSG means Monosodium Glutamate, a combination of water, sodium, and glutamate. Glutamate is a non-essential amino acid that serves various functions in our body and can be found naturally in corn, green peas, mushrooms, tomatoes, soy sauce, and human breast milk. It is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. It has a crucial role in memory and learning, stimulating the nerve cells to relay its signal. The sodium and glutamate are responsible for creating the fifth basic taste, UMAMI. It enhances the savory, meaty flavor of foods. And there is no chemical difference in MSG and glutamate in natural food but the glutamic acid in MSG is easier to absorb because the body does not need extra work to break down into essential compounds.

Furthermore, MSG was discovered by a Japanese scientist, Kikunae Ikeda in 1908. He wanted to determine the meaty flavor of Dashi, a ubiquitous Japanese soup base made from boiled seaweed and dried fish. So he isolated the main substance of dashi- seaweed Laminaria Japonica and not only he found MSG, but he also discovered the 5th basic taste along with salty, sour, bitter and sweet: umami derived from a Japanese word "umai" meaning delicious. After his groundbreaking discovery, Ikeda began mass-producing the MSG product Ajinomoto, meaning "essence of taste" in 1909. It became a nutritional wonder and widely used by the mothers and chefs because it makes bland but nutritious food delicious.

But in 1968, Dr. Ho Man Kwok wrote a letter to the editor of "New England Journal of Medicine", describing the symptoms he suffered after eating from a Chinese restaurant. He stated that he experienced generalized weakness, heart palpitations, and skin flushing but he also noted that it was not only caused by one food but various foods he ate such as wine and other Chinese food that he assumed contains sodium or MSG. When that letter was published the public associated these symptoms with a new condition: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome and caused by MSG consumption. Then, its reputation further damaged when a 1969 study found that injecting large doses of MSG into newborn mice cause detrimental neurological effects. It increased glutamate activity in the brain, turning glutamate into excitotoxin.

However, dietary glutamate has no effect on the brain as it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier in large amounts. There is no compelling evidence that MSG acts as an excitotoxin when consumed in normal amounts. Plus, MSG is two-thirds less sodium than table salt.

Therefore, there is no need to worry or freak out if you see MSG in one of the food product's ingredients you bought. It is safe to eat just not too much. Plus, this article is not paid by the Chinese. I thoroughly researched it. It is my heart's desire and curiosity that drives me to share what I learned to all of you, my dear readers. 😊