Worst Food Additive - A Silent Killer

Have you ever dined in a Chinese Restaurant and feel very satisfied with the food? Do you like eating snacks like chips and other junk foods? How about canned goods and other frozen dinners? Do you know a silent killer ingredient that are present in all of the above? Yes, you are correct, it is Monosodium Glutamate or more popularly known as MSG.

If you think alcohol from liquors or nicotine from smoking are the worst and dangerous to your health, you are right again. But there is a substance that you are consuming, you may not know that it is actually worse than alcohol and nicotine.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is  a flavor enhancer that's known widely as an addition to Chinese food. In reality it is also added to thousands of the foods that you and your family regularly consume, especially when you always eat in fast food chains and restaurants.

MSG, as its also know, is one of the worst food additives on the market and is mostly used in canned goods, chips, meats, salad dressings, ready to eat foods and much more. It can be found everywhere, in your local supermarket and restaurants, cafeterias, hawker stalls and even in your child's school.
  

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We should not categorize MSG as just a seasoning like salt and pepper. It does not add flavor to the food but it actually enhances the flavor of foods. It makes processed meats and frozen ready to eat foods taste fresher and smell better.
 

MSG could be actually damaging your health slowly and silently. Anyway, what harm is it when the food really tastes nice. But what you don't know is that this additive is not good to your health, and its only the food industry is benefitting from it.

History of MSG?

In 1908, Kikunae Ikeda , a Japanese inventor, identified the natural flavor enhancer of seaweed and created monosodium glutamate. This is from this substance that they created the man made additive MSG, He and his partner went on to form AJINOMOTO, which is the most popular MSG in the world.

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MSG is approximately 78 percent glutamic acid, sodium 21 percent and up to 1 percent contaminants, if you want its chemical composition.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration labeled MSG as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) in 1959, and it has remained that way ever since. Yet, after 10 years, a condition known as "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" entered the medical literature, it describes the numerous side effects, from numbness to heart palpitations, that people experienced after consuming MSG.

MSG is Dangerous?

Regular consumption of MSG has been linked to various adverse health problems such as:

• Obesity

• Eye damage

• Headaches

• Fatigue and disorientation

• Depression

Furthermore, even the US FDA admits that "short-term reactions" known as MSG Symptom Complex can occur in certain groups of people, namely those who have eaten "large doses" of MSG or those who have asthma.

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According to the US FDA, symptoms from MSG can involve the following:

• Numbness

• Burning sensation

• Tingling

• Facial pressure or tightness

• Chest pain or difficulty breathing

• Headache

• Nausea

• Rapid heartbeat

• Drowsiness

• Weakness

It is not known just for sure how many people may be "sensitive" to MSG, but in 1970s studies suggests that around 25 percent to 30 percent of the U.S. population was intolerant of MSG -- at levels then found in food. Since the use of MSG has expanded dramatically, and around 40 percent of the US population are estimated to be affected today.

How to Determine if MSG is in Your Food

Food manufacturers are also smart, and they've caught on to the fact that people like everybody else want to avoid eating this dangerous food additive. As a result, what they did was try to hide the ingredient by using names on ingredients that your wouldn't  have thought that has MSG.

It is required by the US FDA that food manufacturers list the ingredient "monosodium glutamate" on food labels, but they do not fo glutamic acid, which is the main component of MSG. There are at least 40 labeled ingredients that contain glutamic acid, but you would never know them by their names.

How to Avoid MSG from Your Diet

Generally, you can assume that the food contains MSG if it is processed. So if you prepare your own food for the family and you just use fresh ingredients, that is the only time you can guarantee avoiding this toxin additive. Going and eating in restaurants, you should make sure to ask if they put MSG on the food on their  and thus, request that the food you orderl not be added with MSG. Also to always be on the safe side, always check the ingredients of any packaged food you buy. 

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Here are the list of ingredients that ALWAYS have MSG:

• Gelatin, Yeast Food, Sodium Caseinate, Hydrolyzed Protein,

• Autolyzed Yeast, Glutamate, Monopotassium Glutamate, Textured Protein,

• Yeast Nutrient, Glutamic Acid, Yeast Extract, Calcium Caseinate.

See the list of Ingredients that OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing:

• Natural Flavors and Flavorings, Soy Protein Isolate, Malt Extract, Maltodextrin,

• Citric Acid, Natural Pork Flavoring, Soy Protein, Malt Flavoring, Pectin,

• Powdered Milk, Natural Beef Flavoring, Bouillon, Enzymes, Corn Starch,

• Anything Protein Fortified, Anything Enzyme Modified, Natural Chicken Flavoring,

• Stock, Seasonings, Soy Sauce, Broth, Carrageenan, Corn Starch

Please remember these many hidden names for MSG, especially if you are consuming processed foods.

Choosing to be MSG-Free

It is definitely a wise choice in making a decision to remove and avoid MSG in you and your family's diet. Even if it takes more planning and preparation of food in your home, but knowing that your food is healthy and free from any toxins from additives like MSG, makes it all worth your while.

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Reference: www.healthylifeidea.com