Monosodium Glutamate is a food additive that has been used extensively for decades. But what is all the buzz about? You hear about it all the time, but do you know if it really is unhealthy? Is it safe? Read on…
Be well,
Dr. S
Although major government agencies throughout the world have deemed the ingredient as safe, its use remains controversial from a health perspective.What is MSG?Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of the non-essential amino acid glutamate and is composed simply of water, sodium and glutamate. Glutamate is one of the most common amino acids found in nature and is the main component of most high-protein foods such as fish, meat, milk and some vegetables. Glutamate is also produced in the body and plays an important role in metabolism and brain function.
When in its “free” form, glutamate has a flavor-enhancing effect on foods. Traditional Asian cuisine for centuries has used seaweed extract and other ingredients for flavor due to their high concentrations of glutamate. However, it was not until the early 1900s that MSG was isolated and patented. Today, MSG is produced in many countries around the world and used in a variety of foods prepared at homes, in restaurants and by food manufacturers. It is often used to enhance the natural flavors of meats, poultry, seafoods, snacks, soups and stews.
Some researchers suggest that MSG falls outside of the four classic tastes of sweet, sour, salty and bitter that are used in sensory research and provides a fifth taste. This unique flavor is called “umami” in Japan and has often been described as savory, broth-like or meaty.
Health concerns
Over the years, the consumption of foods containing MSG has been linked to anecdotal reports of adverse health effects, commonly referred to as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, along with other conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and a worsening of asthma. However, numerous international scientific evaluations involving hundreds of studies have found that MSG is not an allergen and there is no reliable evidence to suggest negative health consequences from consuming it. In fact, even in studies where people were convinced that they were sensitive to MSG, no statistical association was found under controlled conditions. 1, 2 As a result, the United States and many other governments and health organizations throughout the world support the use of MSG in foods.
Additionally, contrary to popular belief, MSG is not high in sodium. It provides around one-third the amount of sodium as table salt. Therefore, when used in cooking, its flavor-enhancing properties can help to significantly reduce the amount of salt needed.
Food labeling
While the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that MSG must be included in the ingredient list on food packaging, it is just one form of glutamate, which is naturally occurring in a wide variety of foods and found in many different types of food additives (e.g., hydrolyzed protein, autolyzed yeast extract). Therefore, food labels that declare “No MSG” can be misleading if a food contains ingredients that are sources of “free” glutamate. Such statements promote the notion that MSG is unhealthful, when the aforementioned research collectively does not support this.
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