True Or False? MSG
Posted November 18 2022, By Justin Lim & Tarina
Are you aware that your food might contain Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)? Do you know why your food has it?
MSG is also known as monosodium glutamate and is commercially produced by the fermentation of corn/cane/cassava. Microbes feed on the sugar of these products producing glutamic acid - the glutamic acid is then extracted and sold commercially as MSG.
MSG also contains glutamate, an amino acid produced naturally in our body and can be found in foods like tomatoes, seaweed, mushroom, and meat, and is responsible for the umami flavor also known as the taste of savouriness.
Let’s cover the facts,
True or False:
Is MSG bad for health and worse than table salt?
Answer: False.
When compared to regular table salt, MSG contains ⅓ the amount of sodium and is considered safe to consume by food authorities including Singapore Food Authority (SFA - SG) and Food Drug Administration (FDA - USA) [1,2].
The research found little to no supporting evidence claiming that MSG consumption is responsible for symptoms of cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, low-grade inflammation, and metabolic disarray. [3]
Some uses of MSG include:
Flavour Enhancer
Added to broths and dishes
Added to some processed foods/fast foods
Produces an umami flavour
How can this information help me?
If you want to enhance your food while limiting sodium, you can replace regular salt with MSG. However, note that excessive sodium intake can occur if we do not watch our intake of processed foods, dried/cured meats, and outside foods eg gravies, and soups.
What you should do when adverse reactions (eg itching, eczema, headaches etc) from MSG is suspected?
Foods contain a wide variety of nutrients and compounds and it may not be attributed to MSG. If you do not face reactions from eating seaweed, meats, mushrooms, or tomatoes, it is unlikely that you are experiencing the reaction from MSG. However, if you still break out when consuming foods with MSG - do see a doctor for advice and avoid foods that you suspect will trigger any of your symptoms.
Start by avoiding foods that may put you at risk of harm or that you find makes you feel unwell, and work with a doctor and dietitian to slowly reintroduce foods safely while ensuring that you have adequate nutrients to nourish you well.
What should I eat then? To find out what you should consume, why not consider using nBuddy to figure out what food aligns with your needs?
Click here to download nBuddy iOS or nBuddy Android.
