That headache and nausea you’re feeling after a meal might simply be an MSG hangover. The culprit? Untrustworthy food labels, or even false labels, that read “No MSG” or “No Additives.”
In fact, the food industry deliberately disguises MSG additives so the flavor enhancers will not be recognized in packaged products, says author and neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, MD. That means MSG is often hidden behind a hodgepodge of difficult-to-discern ingredients, including autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed soy protein, and even the benign-sounding “natural flavoring.”
Here’s the catch: The ingredients may not contain 100 percent pure MSG, but they contain MSG-like substances (excitotoxins) that can be equally potent in causing brain damage, alleges Blaylock. Most consumers don’t know is that MSG is an excitotoxin—meaning it binds to nerve cell receptors and damages cells. The harmful additive has been linked with brain disorders ranging from loss of memory to degenerative conditions such as Alzheimers and Parkinson’s.
The extent of the problem can be traced to the amount of MSG dumped into the nation’s food supply annually: By the 2000s, an astounding 786 metric tons had been added to packaged and/or processed foods. Even some cookbook recipes recommend adding MSG.
So what’s the big appeal? MSG is the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid, and is a cheap way of conferring the umami taste that has been identified as one of the “five basic tastes” (along with sweet, salty, sour and bitter). It comes originally from Asian cooking, and has been described as pleasant, savory and brothy, with a kind of soothing coating of the tongue. There really is no simple translation, but when used properly, umami taste is deeply satisfying.
Still, there’s no reason to sacrifice health for cheap flavor thrills. Smart eaters satisfy the umami taste with such glutamate-rich foods as kombu, bonito and certain fermented foods, which registered Santa Monica dietician Ashley Koff reports confer additional health benefits anway. One dish she recommends: shitake mushrooms prepared as shitake fries and served with hemp seeds or parmesan.
And smart shoppers are learning to out-fox deceptive food manufacturers. They are bypassing mass-marketed goods teeming with toxic additives and sticking with trusted organic produce and products.
