MSG is not for me
Monosodium Glutamate, or MSG for short, is one of the many additives used to enhance the taste of processed foods. As participants of the Western diet, we've become so accustomed to needing bigger/better/stronger flavors that enhancers are used to keep up with our unsatisfied taste buds.
You can find msg in processed foods such as certain soy sauces, flavored chips (Doritos, Cheetos, and Pringles), fast food meat, canned soup, Hidden Valley Ranch... the list goes on. When reading food labels, look for msg by its full name, Monosodium Glutamate. Similar ingredients such as autolyzed yeast and hydrolyzed proteins are sometimes used as a cheaper substitute for msg as well as to work around the FDA's label requirements - as is the case with La Choy soy sauce.
Although the FDA regards this additive as “generally safe to eat” it remains controversial and has been linked to the following reactions in those with a sensitivity:
headaches
nausea
chest pain
swelling
sweating
The effects may seem extreme, but the more processed foods you eat, the more chemicals you are exposed to and the greater the threat to your health. MSG here, palm oil and artificial sweeteners there. It’s no wonder our taste buds are confused and our bodies overweight. A good rule of thumb, if it sounds like it chemistry term, it's best to keep it in a lab and out of the kitchen. If I learned anything from class it's to waft chemicals, not eat them.
The news is not all bad; we don't need to give up sushi. Instead, find a brand such as Kikkoman that does not contain msg, or use Bragg Liquid Aminos: Natural Soy Sauce Alternative, like I do. Amino acids aid your body’s cell and organ function as well as provide many other health benefits. It contains no chemicals, artificial coloring, gluten and preservatives that you are likely to find elsewhere. Bragg's Ingredients: vegetable protein from soybeans and purified water. That’s it!
As I mentioned in a previous post, my love language is acts of service. I love home cooked meals and had been craving sushi ever since I went to an Asian market near my office and found seaweed wraps. So, for Valentine’s Day, David made us sushi and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.
The meal got me thinking about my blog. I didn't want to post the recipe because 1) I’m not a sushi expert 2) I didn’t make it. So, if needed, a quick Google search will lead you in the right direction. Anyways, I started this blog because of my newly found interest in the education behind food and nutrition, not to create a cookbook. I wish it were a requirement to get a minor in nutrition. It’s the one thing that affects everyone, every single day.
-Mallory
Source:
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Questions and Answers on Monosodium Glutamate (MSG).” U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 4 Jan. 2018, www.fda.gov/food/ingredientspackaginglabeling/foodadditivesingredients/ucm328728.htm.
