Dare To Be Aware | Alternative Lifestyle

MSG – Monosodium Glutamate – Glutamate – E621 - Flavour Enhancer - Yeast Extract

By Viola Woolcott

Monosodium Glutamate also known as MSG enhances the natural flavours of meats, poultry, seafood, and many vegetables. Its use in the food industry is growing and you can find it in most foods you are eating every day i.e. soups, stews, meat-based sauces, salad dressings, processed meats, frozen entrees, ice cream, frozen yoghurt, forget snack foods and not to forget Chinese foods. To make up for flavour lost when fat is reduced or eliminated, it is also used in low fat foods.

I believe that product labels that claim No MSG, No MSG added, or no added MSG may contain MSG. So don’t be fooled by the product labels that claim otherwise, as due to the ‘labelling’ laws, it may not have to be listed on the labels.

Products where the label always contains the term Monosodium Glutamate - MSG – include any protein that is hydrolyzed, autolyzed yeast, calcium caseinate, glutamate, glutamic acid, gelatin, hydrolyzed soy protein, monosodium glutamate, monopotassium glutamate, sodium caseinate, textured protein, yeast nutrient, yeast extract, and yeast food.

Should hydrolyzed soy protein be used in flavourings, it does not need to be mentioned on the label if the manufacturer claims it is not being used for flavouring.

Manufacturers do not have to disclose their MSG containing components when broth, bouillon and stock are used as ingredients in other products.

Numerous symptoms that are sometimes caused or exacerbated by ingestion of MSG can affect the heart, respiratory tract, muscles, eyes, skin, gastrointestinal tract, circulation as well as neurological function.

The amount of MSG ingested and whether it was eaten on an empty stomach or with other food shows in the severity and nature of your symptoms.

While some may suffer 48 hours later, others suffer immediately after ingestion - but adverse reactions are normally related to the amounts. The onset varies with each individual, depending on the ‘dose’. Eaten in large quantities or in liquid form, Monosodium Glutamate – such as i.e. clear soups – can cause serious problems.

One or more of the following symptoms characterises one or more conditions:

=> Burning sensation in the back of the neck – forearms, chest
=> Chest pain
=> Warmth weakness and Tingling in the face, temples, upper back, neck and arms
=> Tightness and/or pressure of the face
=> Numbness in the back of the neck, also radiating to the arms and back
=> Rapid heartbeat
=> Nausea
=> Headache
=> In MSG-intolerant people with asthma - Bronchospasm (difficulty breathing)
=> rowsiness
=> Weakness

The link between Monosodium Glutamate, alcohol and aggression (emotional instability) can affect the severity or intensity of a reaction following ingestion of MSG. Depending on our age, health and tolerance to MSG, as well as other toxic ingredients – i.e. Aspartame (more about that later) and because it is so harmful to us, our moods and body chemistry can be seriously affected for hours.

Processed free glutamic acid – Monosodium Glutamate/MSG/E621 - is contained in all alcohol in small amounts, and taken with MSG laced food increases the severity and onset of the symptoms.

Even in natural food stores they are happy telling their customers that their products do not contain ‘synthetic’ MSG and that they only contain ‘natural’ MSG. Even in natural food stores read the labels and do not buy it!

Processed food industries and Glutamate manufacturers are always on a quest to disguise MSG that is added to food. A list of the most common names for disguised MSG:

=> Monosodium Glutamate
=> Potassium Glutamate
=> Plant Protein Extract
=> Sodium Caseinate
=> Calcium Caseinate
=> Yeast Extract
=> Textured Protein
=> Autolyzed Yeast
=> Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
=> Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein - HVP
=> Hydrolyzed Protein
=> Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
=> Hydrolyzed (Anything else)

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein – HVP, Hydrolyzed Protein - Hydrolyzed Plant Protein and Hydrolyzed (Anything else) are made from ‘junk’ vegetables which are picked for their high quantity of excitotoxins i.e. glutamate. For several hours the vegetables are boiled in sulphuric acid. After the acid is neutralised with caustic soda, it is scraped of the top to be dried into a powder, which is high in glutamate, aspirate and cysteic acid, which are all excitotoxins. The powder also contains known carcinogens. HVP contains dicarboxylic amino acid. The safety of which is unknown. Than the powder is put into a number of foods, which include baby foods.

Frequent Additives containing MSG:

=> Extract of Malt
=> Malt flavouring
=> Bouillon
=> Broth
=> Stock
=> Flavouring
=> Natural Flavouring
=> Natural Chicken or Beef Flavouring
=> Seasoning
=> Spices

What more is there to say?

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Filed under: Dare 2B Aware on December 9th, 2007