The Masks of MSG

The Mask of MSG    (monosodium glutamate)

Most people know that a mask hides a face-but many of us don’t know the food masks that are out there.  One the ones most familiar is the food additive MSG.  Let’s discuss what MSG is and its potential effects on your body and your health. 

MSG is a food “enhancer”.  It is what is called a sodium salt of an amino acid-glutamic acid.  MSG doesn’t alter the actual taste of foods; it just enhances them by increasing the sensitivity of our taste buds.  In essence it tricks our brains into thinking foods taste better by stimulating our taste buds.  Generally, the more salty or processed a food is, the more MSG the food contains. 

Glutamic acid or Glutamate comes in 2 forms.  Both are found in natural protein rich foods such as most meats, most dairy products, seaweed, mushrooms, tomatoes, fermented soy products, yeast extracts, hydrolyzed proteins, nuts and legumes.  “Free” glutamic acid is metabolized to MSG in the body.  We get enough on our own.  Most of the MSG is found in processed foods.  Soups, gravies, salad dressings, bouillon products, ice cream, frozen entrées to name a few. 

The importance of use of MSG lends to its effects on the body.  It causes obesity and excitotoxicity.  Neuroscientists generally agree that glutamic acid (present in MSG) is neurotoxic and it kills neurons by exciting them to death.  Our children are very susceptible to MSG; it may cause damage to the part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which amongst other things controls our appetite.  MSG causes the pancreas to increase production of insulin, this in turn causes our blood sugar to drop-typically makes us hungry.  This is why we are hungry approximately 1 hour after eating MSG laden foods.  How many of us brag about being hungry after eating Chinese foods? 

One good result that occurred is that the Food and Drug Administration now requires all foods containing MSG to have it on the label.  The downside is MSG can be found in 39 other labeled ingredients. 

The ingredients that always contain MSG are:

Glutamate          textured protein        yeast extract     Glutamic acid     hydrolyzed protein     

Yeast food         calcium caseinate      autolyzed yeast   monopotassium glutamate   

Calcium caseinate     sodium caseinate     gelatin

The ingredients often contain MSG or create it during processing:

Artificial flavors     soy sauce    malt extract     whey protein     pectin    cornstarch    

Protein fortified ingredients        seasonings      soy protein isolate     malt flavoring  

Barley malt   whey protein   carrageenan     malt dextrin   pectin    enzymes   protease

Corn starch      citric acid   powdered milk    protein fortified ingredients    enzyme modified ingredients    ultra pasteurized ingredients    

so what physical systems can occur if one is msg sensitive; 3 grams of free glutamic acid caused these

symptoms when taken on an empty stomach;

-stomach cramps                 -facial swelling      -nausea, vomiting, diarrhea     -numbness/burning

-migraine headaches (implicated, not proven)       -frequent urination      -rapid heart beat

-depression     -extreme rise or drop in blood pressure    -panic attack    -light headedness

-anxiety     -shortness of breath   -loss of balance   -joint pain/stiffness   -dizziness    -blurred vision

-flu like symptoms

So we can see the effect of MSG on our bodies.  One of the things to know is that the human body is resilient.  It would take damage of approximately 70% of one area of the brain for one to notice changes.  Some parts are affected sooner and easier.  In part 2 of "The Masks of MSG"  We will discuss this.