MSG is Evil! - Monosodium Glutamate Hiding in Our Food
Ranked #2,945 in Food & Cooking, #54,846 overall
Just What are They Trying to Hide?!
Whether or not you agree with me that MSG is evil, ya gotta admit it seems a little fishy when you find it in so many of our favorite foods. While there's no hard evidence yet that MSG actually causes obesity or neurological disorders in humans (just mice), there's enough discussion on the matter to make me stay away from foods containing MSG. It just seems a little sneaky to me. What nasty tasting ingredients are they trying to hide under all that flavor enhancer? Scary! Here's some information I've collected on the subject.
Now with Plexo!: Vote for the MSG-laiden foods that have disapointed you the most. What product were you most surprised to see MSG in? Give it a vote and let us know it's an offender!
Ooo, I Have a Headache!
a/k/a "The Chinese Restaurant Syndrome"
- burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms and chest
- numbness in the back of the neck, radiating to the arms and back
- tingling, warmth and weakness in the face, temples, upper back, neck and arms
- facial pressure or tightness
- chest pain
- headache
- nausea
- rapid heartbeat
- weak pulse
- violent dreams
- bronchospasm (difficulty breathing) in MSG-intolerant people with asthma
- drowsiness
- weakness
Linkage on MSG
Information from both extremes, the good guys and the bad guys!
- Wikipedia: Monosodium glutamate
- Always a great source, here's Wikipedia's entry on MSG.
- FDA and MSG
- A surprisingly balanced report! Just as good as Wiki's article.
- NoMSG: Why MSG is Harmful
- My favorite "MSG is Evil" site. Here's a snippet from the home page: Its ever-expanding use by the food industry causes great concern in the medical profession because MSG overstimulates brain cell activity. It is neither a necessary additive, nor a harmless flavor enhancer like common table salt. MSG actually tricks your brain into thinking the food you are eating tastes good. Manufacturers can therefore use inferior ingredients to make a mediocre product seem tastier. Higher profits and low-quality products of little nutritional value prevail at the expense of consumer health.
- Truth in Labeling
- I just love these sorts of "Times New Roman" websites that are chock full of information and bad web design. Why can't the revolutionaries ever find someone with skills to make their sites for them?! Sigh.
- Truth in Labeling: Where is MSG Hidden?
- Once you read this page, you'll never be able to regain your innocence again. Over 40 food ingredients besides "monosodium glutamate" contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG). But each one according to the FDA must be called by its own, unique, "common or usual name." So that means there's MSG all over the place. Find out some of the common names here.
- MSG Facts
- "MSG Propaganda" seems to me to be a more fitting title for this website. As you can see, there's not that much information or facts listed here. And The page on "MSG Benefits: Improving Taste Means Improving Nutrition" just scares me. Besides, it's just a little to glossy and pretty for me to buy into it. Who's running this site anyway? Ah! "The Glutamate Association, established in 1977, is an association of manufacturers, national marketers, and processed food users of glutamic acid and its salts, principally the flavor enhancer, monosodium glutamate (MSG)." That explains it.
Surprizes on the Back of the Box
That Good 'ol Down-Home Flavor--MSG!
I think we all know that Ramen Noodles are bad for you. But several traditional favorites, like the items listed below, are loaded with MSG, too. Thankfully, there are also usually healthier alternatives located next to them on the shelf, so be a smart shopper and check them out!
Betty Crocker Mashed Potatoes
In my potatoes, too? I guess I'll have to make it from scratch...4 points
Hamburger Helper
So sad. But true. Another product that's better to make from scratch!2 points
Rice-a-Roni Chicken & Mushroom
In the rice, too? Yup! More MSG than garlic (::shudder::). Best to stick with Uncle Ben's! I haven't seen any MSG on the labels I've read.2 points
Old El Paso Seasoning
Watch out for your Mexican favorites! Did you know most taco seasonings also have MSG in them, too?!1 point
Stove Top Stuffing
Instead this MSG-laden instant dish, look for a more traditional Thanksgiving stuffing mix. I've found those to be made with more natural ingredients.1 point
Tammy's Taco Meat Seasoning
For a Genuine Down-Home Flavor
Make your own taco meat seasoning at home with some help from Tammy's Recipes:Tammy's Taco Meat Seasoning
(part of Tammy's Taco Salad recipe)
2 pounds ground chuck or ground round
2 large onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 Tablespoon cumin
Tapatio hot sauce, to taste
Fry meat with onion, bell pepper and garlic. Drain grease, and then stir in chili powder, pepper, salt, cumin and Tapatio.
Yum! Sounds delicious, Tammy! Thanks for sharing.
No Crackers for My Soup, Please
What is safe anymore?!
If you are able to find yourself a chicken broth that's MSG-free and a seasoning that comes from real herbs and spices, then you might consider making some homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. But whatever you do, don't buy it from the big guys! And watch out for the the MSG in your crackers, too.
Campbell's Goldfish Pasta with Meatballs
Campbell's? And Progresso?! Oh, my! And did you also know that Goldfish also have MSG in them? How many kiddies eat those everyday?3 points
Vigo Chicken Base
Yup. Chicken Soup Base. And Swanson's Broths, too! Unless you buy the "Natural Goodness" Chicken Broth.1 point
Reese Homestyle Ranch Croutons
Aren't salads supposed to be good for you? Ack! And don't even get me started on Kraft and Wish-Bone dressings... they have MSG, too!1 point
Knorr Aromat All Purpose Seasoning
And that's why I love Mrs. Dash and all her products. No MSG. Just herbs and spices!1 point
Cheddar Jack Cheez-Itz
Flavored Cheez-its have MSG?! And stay away from the "Chicken in a Biscuit" crackers as well.1 point
Make your Own Cream-based Soup!
Chuck the MSG with a little White Sauce Magic
With a special thank you to Betty Crocker, my long time friend. Here is a way to make your own "can 'o soup" that's MSG-free to add to those yummy casserole recipes that call for one. I like to use this sauce for "soup" in my Farmhouse Chicken recipe.Betty's White Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
salt, pepper and spices to taste
Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until melted. Stir in flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; about one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute.
To make your own soup, just add some sautéed celery, mushrooms or cooked chicken to the mix. Then add your homemade soup to your recipe in place of the canned variety.
Gee, No Wonder I Love it!
Are they afraid we won't like it without MSG?
Sad but true, these favorites all have MSG listed in their ingredients. Boo hoo! "Betcha can't eat just one" just took on a whole new meaning.
Pringles Potato Crisps
Not only Pringles, but also Doritos and Lays have MSG in them, too. And what ever you do, don't dip your Ranch Wheat Thins in you Kraft Ranch Dip!3 points
Chex Mix
This was the first product I ever knew had MSG in it. It would give my friend headaches. Thankfully, you can make your own at home without MSG in it.2 points
Gardettos Pretzel Mix
Try Snyder's of Hanover's Honey Mustard & Onion Pretzel Pieces instead. They're MSG-free!1 point
Pop Secret Popcorn, White Cheddar
Why?! Oh, why? Isn't popcorn already bad enough for ya?!1 point
Make Your Own Chex Mix
Homemade Chex Party Mix6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (check for MSG!)
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt (check for MSG!)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-size pretzels
1 cup bite-size bagel chips
Preheat oven to 250°F. In a large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in creal until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Store in airtight container. Makes 24 servings, 1/2 cup each.
What would you like to see?
Are there other MSG-free recipes you'd like to see listed here? Let me know and I can track them down. Together, we can build one beautiful lens!
(NOTE: This is not the guest book! The guest book is below.)
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LK995
Dec 25, 2011 @ 8:56 pm | delete
- I was disappointed to see MSG in pretty much any savory food, especially anything ranch flavored. Doritos, Hidden Valley, etc. I get terrible migraines and nausea from the stuff, along with my nephew and brother-in-law. Boo.
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WayneDave
Oct 14, 2011 @ 2:51 am | delete
- MSG hidden in foods is a big issue I think. Certainly in so many. Great information as it is definitely something people should be worried about. Going to try your Chex mix by the way, sounds good. Thanks for sharing.
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.Linda (mother of two kids no longer blind, or seizing, and wife of a husband who is headache free)
May 18, 2011 @ 10:17 am | delete
- Hi. Food research biologist mom here. 10 years in glutamate research. Stopped three cases of seizures, healed one legally blind child back to 20/20 vision, by taking this stuff out of the child's food for three years. Domestic violence, Headaches, heart palpation, runny nose... you name it. Your symptom, no matter what it is will be the result of nerves being over activated somewhere, head, nose, heart, etc. . The thing that seems to confuse everyone is why it causes so many different kinds of reactions. This appears to depend on the genetics. If your parents handed you nose nerves that are light on the protective glia cells, but they gave you lots of glia in your brain, you will get the runny nose but not the headache. If you have little glia in your brain, but lots in the nerves in your hands, you will get the headache, but not the sweaty palms. Glia distribution is different in different people. But make NO mistake. Look it up for yourselves and do NOT believe the food industry. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter, Google the terms glutamate and neurotransmitter.... THis means that glutamate is just like dopamine or serotonin, or any of the other more than 40 brain neurotransmitters. When you eat it, you get a case of brain/nerve chemical imbalance, whether you are aware of it or not. Then your body is either able to deal with it and rid your nerves of it... or NOT. And when not, wherever you have too few glia to handle it, you will get one or another of the symptoms as the glutamate over excites the nerves .... to death. And if you think it does not bother you, think again. Your motor nerves are not pain nerves, so if you are light on glia at the motor nerves, the Multiple Schlerosis will SNEAK up on you. By the time you know it, the damage will be done. Ever wonder why MOST heart attacks happen AFTER a meal????
About 20 % of the population has insufficient glia to handle the metric tons being put in the food at this time... in their amygdalas. This is a part of the brain which controls emotion. The glutamate appears to be activating the flight or fight system in the amygdala and hippocampus, artificially, like the molecules doctors use to put you to atrificial sleep for surgery, All of this glutamate is causing artificial rage, panic and domestic violence is a direct result.. Psychiatrists will have you believe that these poor folks are "mentally ill". Well, yeah... artificial induction of mental illness. Again. Google Glutamate, AKA: glutamic acid, and the term neurotransmitter. Anyone want metric tons of serotonin or dopimine for lunch? How about lets load up the soup cans with prosac, or zoloft, and block a few neurotransmitters, and see what happens then. These food industry people tick me off. They have to know at least as much biology as I do. Then again, maybe they don't. But I know that the people who make MSG and Autolyzed whatever, and Hydrolyzed whatever DO know exactly what they are doing to our kids. (Really scary... children have no blood brain barriers complete until they are about 14. HUGE numbers of whining crying kids in the supermarkets suffering from migraines their parents do not know they have... so sad). Borderline personality disorder... Post Traumatic Stress Disorder... Rage Disorder... all of these show up as temporal lobe seizure of the amygdala or hippocampus when these so called mentally ill violent people get hauled to the hospital for an MRI. Poor brains are lit up like christmas trees in the amygdalas. When is the population going to figure out that the United States population is being DRUGGED?????? Intentionally as far as this biologist is concerned.
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mark
Jan 27, 2012 @ 9:31 pm | delete
- Linda your story is amazing, but it's all too common I am on a mission, after the crap
in supermarkets dont offer much foods without msg ,autolysed free,gluten free
products. If anyone needs good for you spices check this site out..
http://nomsg.weebly.com
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Nate
Aug 21, 2010 @ 9:41 pm | delete
- I just had chex mix for the first time in what seems like for ever and for some reason I couldn't stop eating it. I ate the who bag last night. Now today I have had the biggest headache all day. Which is unusual because I almost never get headaches. Could be MSG I'm gonna stay from that stuff for a while.
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Make it Good--Make it from Scratch!
Many people are wondering "Just where can I find a good recipe that doesn't include MSG?" Well, I would highly suggest you check out these links for the best in MSG-free homemade recipes.
Recipes from RealSimple.com
Find quick, delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes from Real Simple magazine. Browse the more than 1,000 free recipes for chicken, beef, or salmon; Mexican, Chinese or Italian; low-fat, low-carb, or kid-friendly; and more.1 point
AllRecipes.com
Looking for recipes? You've come to the right place. Allrecipes has more than 40,000 free recipes--all created, tested, reviewed and approved by home cooks worldwide.1 point
Food @ MarthaStewart.com
Use the recipe finder to find free and easy recipes including desserts, cakes, cookies, chicken, fish, vegetarian, salads, and pasta recipes.0 points
Recommended Reading on Amazon
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TransplantedSoul
Nov 26, 2011 @ 3:42 pm | delete
- I did not know MSG was in so many things. While apparently not a problem for me, |i agree, it is fishy and unneeded. I'd rather have flavour come from where its supposed to.
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steph heaton
Nov 21, 2011 @ 9:18 am | delete
- Hi there it is good to see a site like this as a sufferer of heart palpatations i have to check everything i eat as msg starts it off and i end up in hospital, id love to be able to eat chinese food again but its so hard finding recipes without soy sauce, food does taste better without it but its hard to find stock and other things that make it less time consuming i have 2 young boys and dont always get time to make a really nice meal
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Rosemarie shinley
Nov 9, 2011 @ 5:55 pm | delete
- I'm so relieved to see some public reaction to msg. If I consume it, I get violently ill. When we eat out, the waitresses are questioned, and if she doesn't know if msg is in what I order, the manager and cooks are questioned. I believe there will be a day when the FDA is forced to put a warning on foods AND restaurants that serve foods with msg. Meanwhile, I continue to fight for my life to avoid consuming it. It is EVIL!
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Rosemarie shinley
Nov 9, 2011 @ 5:55 pm | delete
- I'm so relieved to see some public reaction to msg. If I consume it, I get violently ill. When we eat out, the waitresses are questioned, and if she doesn't know if msg is in what I order, the manager and cooks are questioned. I believe there will be a day when the FDA is forced to put a warning on foods AND restaurants that serve foods with msg. Meanwhile, I continue to fight for my life to avoid consuming it. It is EVIL!
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WayneDave
Oct 14, 2011 @ 2:52 am | delete
- Great lens. Left my comment above as well but thought I would say it again. Really great info.
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