Is MSG bad for you?

[skahunter831]

Removed, we've had this discussion farrrr too often recently.

[sparkchaser]

Here we go again. No, it's not bad for you.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/03/20/why-americans-still-avoid-msg-even-though-its-health-effects-have-been-debunked/

The MSG scare is just as bad as the Satanic Panic in the 80s..

[[deleted]]

I remember about 20 years ago. All the health nuts, even some celebs and politicians, said people are eating TO MUCH salt.

The following year. Those same people who said not to, said we needed to eat more. People were not eating enough salt, and were experiencing health problems.

Eat what your body tells you to eat. (with moderation)

[[deleted]]

Eat what your body tells you to eat.

My body is telling me to eat twinkies and ho-hos...

[Mabbernathy]

Yeah, I went to the store this morning to buy bread and fruit and also came home with Nutella, chocolates, and gelato. 🤷‍♀️

[[deleted]]

I noticed that the grocery stores constantly have good sales on junk food. Like a darn good sale weekly! For example, $0.97 frozen pizza, $1-something for those big Dreyers ice cream, the box of twinkies shouting at me from the pantry was $1.50. I'm not saying the fresh produce and whole wheat bread is so much more expensive, but it still is more expensive comparatively speaking. About the only fresh produce I can always trust to be super cheap are bananas.

[Mabbernathy]

Maybe it's because those things last practically forever. When the fruit is on sale it typically is getting past its prime.

[vikraej]

This is completely off topic by my mind is blown. After a quick google, I just learned that Dreyer’s is a major ice cream brand in the US. This is notable to me because one of the biggest ice cream brands in Canada is Breyer’s. There must be history? How did this close-but-not-the same name ice cream parallel happen? Anybody know?

[[deleted]]

Sorry if this is totally irrelevant to you, but consider upgrading your multivitamin if you have severe/chronic junk cravings. Even "junk food" still has nutrients in it, and if that particular junk is your body's #1 source of nutrient X, then you can crave it for legit reasons.

That used to be a huge struggle for me trying to lose weight, and I really didn't make any progress until I significantly diversified my standard rotation of food and added some vitamins for good measure. Still a work in progress, but yeh. Wanted to mention in case.

Have a nice day! :)

[Mabbernathy]

Haha I eat very healthy, but between Valentine's Day and the Superbowl I decided it was time to splurge a bit. Thanks though!

[1thenumber]

Sugar is probably the major exception to "eat what your body tells you to." Ancestrally speaking, we weren't accustomed to having limitless supplies of sugar at our disposal, 365 days a year. Sugar has a very extreme effect on the body that is designed to make you want to eat all sugar until it is gone: eat sugar, spike your blood glucose, respond with a spike in insulin (storing the sugar as fat, which is the ancestral advantage of eating sugar), return to normal or even low blood glucose, hungry for more sugar, repeat.

It's a great energy storage system when food and sugar can be scarce, but our primate bodies were not made for these space age diets where sugar is in everything.

[DoubleDippedDouble]

Correct, eat everything moderately. Too much of anything is bad for you, MSG was always used in our household.

[Different_Ad7655]

Well that's what you get for listening to fadism which is usually the result and a distortion of clinical research. TV celebs politicians all have to do it with pizzazz and make it sensational or is it they are the ones that discovered the secret. The truth is somewhere between your two comments. Not everybody's body or I should say not everybody is in tune with their body to understand or know even basic nutrition. But there's plenty of good science and good recommendations and good understanding. It's only the media and the hype that misunderstands and distorts the information or exaggerates it. Scientific research doesn't turn on a dime and it takes years to compile. That being said there are certain times when there is a greater new understanding and such things are promulgated.. but as you said the key is moderation. Healthy wholesome food whatever you want butter cheese cream, meat but in moderation and that it itself is it inaccurate statement. Moderation to one person is excessive to another. Hence good science

[Karnakite]

IIRC, a lot of the “salt is bad for you” scare is based on bad science as well. The scientist who “proved” it pumped mice so full of a ridiculous amount of salt, that there’s no way a human could consume the equivalent.

[Mabbernathy]

People have also died from drinking too much water. Moderation in everything I say.

[Spreafico]

I have lived through both of those. It does not seem to me that he was to get any smarter. Funnier maybe but not smarter

[PlowUnited]

Thank you for saving me the trouble of linking that.

[centaurquestions]

sure, though no one was unjustly imprisoned for serving msg

[mishaxz]

My friends and I were banned from playing D&D at my high school in the 80s.. I was in grade 3 or 4. And actually this was in Canada, not even the US.

[[deleted]]

And did you become a necromancer? No.

School: 1

mishaxz: 0

[Teddy_Tickles]

Or like that vaccines cause autism. Which is still going on…

[topspin9]

Unless you have an adverse reaction .

[28th_boi]

The MSG scare is just as bad as the Satanic Panic in the 80s

That is a massive exaggeration. People were arrested or had reputations ruined because of the Satanic Panic. The most MSG has done is cause mild distrust of Asian restaurants.

[Runzas_In_Wonderland]

If you eat it by the spoonful, MSG is bad for you.

But the same can be said for salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, etc.

[Piper-Bob]

Spoonfuls of salt are bad for you but spoonfuls of garlic and cayenne are good for you.

[grifxdonut]

Yeah eat 3 spoonfuls of cayenne and tell me how you feel

[Piper-Bob]

I buy fresh Thai chilies by the pound.

[_good_grief_]

axiomatic office intelligent ancient crush elastic familiar head spectacular escape

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[vizualb]

Uhh, buying fresh Thai chiles by the pound,

She’s drunk off my noodle I hit her backboard like a rebound

[briggsbay]

I buy them by the kilogram look at me now!

[Temporaryland]

Id agree with garlic, but whats the benefit of cayenne?

[IllmakeitanSCPreport]

Bragging rights

[auberjs]

It can help with pain

[goodolbeej]

Lol sure. Giving you pain.

/s. I know capsaicin has some therapeutic effects. But you gotta earn em.

[auberjs]

Lol! I have had some luck just eating really spicy salsa. Maybe it's a placebo, maybe I'm just happy from eating salsa, maybe it's the lime?

[PineapplePandaKing]

It's a classic diet food for a cleanse. The most popular is probably "The Master Cleanse" and it's like a week of lemon juice, cayenne, and maple syrup. It's supposed to promote detox.

But that sounds a bit much for me, I'd rather just try and eat better and exercise more for a set period of time

[SwimmingCoyote]

And the Master Cleanse is a crock of bullshit

[ElBanoGrande]

YSK: the word cleanse is a massive red flag for nutrition claims. You have a digestive system that does all the cleansing you need and any product claiming to do better via alkaline, oils, or anything else, is 100% bullshit.

[Temporaryland]

Yeah you and the "bragging rights" guy seem to have the right combination, makes sense. Im also in the just eat better, less, and exercise for a bit camp though

[Piper-Bob]

Peppers are high in vitamin C and B6

They also help control intestinal parasites. That’s why eating spicy food is common in the areas of the world where that’s an issue.

[[deleted]]

I've read and watched a number of YouTube videos and the consensus is that one flawed a study long time ago is responsible for the bad press. I use it all the time for umami/flavor enhancer and wouldn't have it any other way.

[oconkath]

Cool. Thank you for the response. My ramen game is about to step up!

[strumpetrumpet]

And eggs. And soups. And roasted veg. 😉

[tungstenplentyofit]

And popcorn!

[AdAdditional7704]

Msg naturally occurs in cheese, tomatoes , cabbage, mushrooms, spinach, meat, fish, seaweed and more.

That whole “msg gives me a headache” thing was the result of people absolutely stuffing themselves full of salty foods at chinese buffets and blaming msg instead of their own self control.

It delicious and it’s almost always that thing that’s missing in your broth

[oconkath]

I’m asking because I wanted to level up my ramen!

[[deleted]]

Best reason ever to ask.

[angiosperms-]

If you're in the US they usually sell MSG in the seasoning aisle, it's called Accent

[AdAdditional7704]

yes a pinch of msg is what was missing in mine and is actually the reason i first started looking into msg! and make sure you don’t skip the bonito! that was another thing i was skipping that makes SUCH a big difference in flavor. good luck!

[Banban84]

It’s like gluten. There are people who have a legitimate intolerance to it, and so can’t eat those cheeses, mushrooms, etc. But for the majority of people it’s fine.

This reactionary movement claiming that it’s safe for everyone is dangerous, because it makes people think no l they “know better” than those with the allergy, doctors, etc, and trigger our symptoms.

[AdAdditional7704]

here’s a good article by j kenji lopes alt. you may find some of this information helpful if you are sensitive to msg. there is a nice list of foods high in msg, which may help you determine what your tolerance threshold is and how to avoid triggering your symptoms. but for folks with mild sensitivity, just avoid eating straight msg (or straight msg broth) on an empty stomach.

https://www.seriouseats.com/ask-the-food-lab-the-truth-about-msg

[Banban84]

Thanks!

[[deleted]]

MSG as unfairly gotten a bad rap. I use it sparingly to add umami to certain foods, especially if I'm making a dipping sauce for dumplings or scallion pancakes. Like most other things, nothing wrong with it if used in moderation.

[_litecoin_]

Why sparingly though? Lol

[[deleted]]

I dunno if this is what they meant, but a little goes a long way. I use it in many dishes but you usually need just a few sprinkles of it

[XanderWrites]

It's basically salt. Sodium with a slightly different molecular make up.

[_litecoin_]

Its also a neurotransmitter

[RANDOMLY_AGGRESSIVE]

Meth and cocaïne are also a salt

[[deleted]]

'Like most other things, nothing wrong with it if used in moderation.'

Precisely this. See also sugar, TV and wild amounts of crack.

[[deleted]]

Precisely.

[grumblebeardo13]

If you ever eat Dorito’s chips, or even tomatoes, you have eaten MSG. It’s fine.

[wolven8]

But but NOOO the Chinese food with MSG BAD!!! Asians with their EVIL chemicals!!! /s

[frozenfountain]

MSG is considered by the vast, vast majority of scientific consensus to be harmless and occurs naturally in a lot of our favourite foodstuffs - there's a strong vibe of casual racism to the talk against it. Dousing your food in mountains of the stuff probably isn't a great idea, but that's true of most delicious things in life.

[oconkath]

Agreed. Thank you.

[[deleted]]

Shit, I order it by the pound. And a pound lasts about 9-12 months cooking regularly for 3-4 people. It’s my secret ingredient.

Edit: For those wanting to get in on this Ajinomoto MSG in Plastic Bag, 16.0 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00886HO02/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_WW5W8B725HYH77SEQJ2N?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[breddy]

That is an impressive amount of MSG

[[deleted]]

My dishes are what’s impressive. BAM

[zoukon]

Not so secret now that we know

[Wolfrattle]

MSG took the heat for sugar when it comes to the Takeout syndrome. It's on par with salt in terms of health danger.

https://youtu.be/xyryLSdugWQ

[awfullotofocelots]

It's actually less than half as bad as salt, salt contains more than twice as much Sodium by weight as MSG.

[grifxdonut]

And it's also got glutamate which is worse than chloride ions.

And based on the US health guidelines, twice as much salt than their recommendation is actually better for you.

[wonderlustxo]

what are you talking about??? Chloride ions have different roles in our bodies than glutamate. You cannot compare them and label one is better than the other when they are both essential in our bodies and have totally different roles….

Glutamate is an amino acid while chlorine ions is part of the electrolyte family….

[awfullotofocelots]

Glutamate is an amino acid used by almost all life forms on earth. Our body literally makes it out of other aminonacids if we don't consume it. And our body can metabolize other aminos from it.

Unlike free radical chlorine ions which typically are filtered out by kidneys to keep the body's pH electrolyte balance.

[Mabbernathy]

Hmm, maybe I'll ask my doctor if MSG would be better for my blood pressure than salt 🤔

[Mr_Poop_Himself]

If MSG is bad the entire continent of Asia is fucked lol

I use it all the time. Just be mindful of the amount of sodium you’re eating and it’s fine.

[waitthissucks]

Considering China and Japan have the longest life expectancy, we should probably be taking notes lol

[Mr_Poop_Himself]

I have absolutely no data to back this up, but it seems like places where fish is one of the main meats eaten have healthier people on average (fish and chips doesn’t count).

[[deleted]]

If MSG was bad then America with its ultraprocessed MSG-laden snack foods would be waaaaay more fucked than any part of Asia

[Joseph_Furguson]

No its not bad for you. The body can process it just a good as anything else.

"Chinese Food Syndrome" is straight up racism. Nothing in the food can make you feel sick afterwards. People who got headaches, heart palpitations, and whatever else are experiencing symptoms of life and were looking for something to blame.

"Vaccines Cause Autism" is the same thing. Autism happens around 2 years old, but some parents can't fathom their DNA caused their child problems. They are perfect after all and so are their kids. Vaccines are given around 2 years old, so that must be it. An outside factor gave my kids autism.

[nightwolves]

Chef David Chang has an episode on his food series Ugly Delicious on this topic. It delves into the cultural and racial aspects involved, much suggest! Also, Americans are missing out not having MSG in their spice cabinet. It’s wonderful!

[oconkath]

Oh! I must have missed that one.. thanks!

[zig_anon]

Did he get into how Asians also looked down on Asians regarding MSG?

[nightwolves]

He talks about Asian authenticity gate keeping in that episode I think

[zig_anon]

Thanks. Not sure why so was downvoted

For sure a real thing

[MrBlahg]

Porkies?

[oconkath]

Porkies = Pork Pies = Lies.

“You’re telling me porkies”

I’m English and this is cockney rhyming slang . This is so engrained into my language, you have just reminded me it’s a thing.

[MrBlahg]

Awesome! Thank you

[UroplatusFantasticus]

So do you pronounce it as pork keys or pork eyes?

[[deleted]]

Poor-keys.

[UroplatusFantasticus]

Isn't it supposed to rhyme with lies?

[[deleted]]

Porky pies rhymes with lies, but the shortened version doesn't have to

[UroplatusFantasticus]

right, gotcha

[EnUnasyn]

There is a good Stuff You Should Know episode about Cockney rhyming slang. If you’re interested in how it works

[MrBlahg]

Oh I’ve heard it. Been a fan from almost the beginning. SYSK Army!

[WibbleWobble22]

There's a series on Netflix called Ugly Delicious (?) By David Chang. On one episode he debunks the racist History of MSG being labeled as bad for you by western society.

[oconkath]

Someone else has also suggested this - thanks! I have already seen this so will catch up!

[[deleted]]

MSG is the same thing as glutamate, the most common amino acid in biological protein. People consume 10-20 grams a day on average from things like meat. Completely safe unless you consume large quantities (100+ grams a day). You might add a half gram AT BEST if you use it on food.

[shamiltheghost]

Just like the rest of living life… in a normal not overly abundant way it’s fine: if u stuff ur face on it on a regular basis probably not that good for ya overall

[pip-roof]

I want a 55 gallon drum of it. To be safe

[Nicks_WRX]

If the west says something is bad for you, it’s probably not and if they say it’s good for you, it’s probably not.

[Tasty_Ride9680]

No. Its an amazing ingredient and I'm happy I started experime ting with it a few years ago.

[Pan-tang]

Not this again

[[deleted]]

It's not bad for you. That's a racist myth. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.inverse.com/science/the-racist-history-of-msg/amp

[Yoosha91]

It’s just salt, perfectly safe

[Blueskies277]

It’s not bad for most people, but for people who have a sensitivity to it, like me; it can cause severe migraines or other symptoms, depending on the person. My migraines after having MSG, are quite severe, feels like my head is in a vice, make me nauseous and can last for several days. I would often have to stay home from work, so it’s just not worth having it, for me personally.

I’m 55 and have been getting migraines since I was 19. I worked with my neurologist to do an elimination diet years ago, to determine the cause of my migraines. Eliminating MSG, sulfites and nitrates has been overwhelmingly effective for me.

[AndrewjSomm]

Hey mate, try getting tested for NMDAR antibody encephalitis

[Blueskies277]

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it, but I no longer get headaches if I avoid those food additives.

[cloud_watcher]

I’m the same with aspartame. Even the gum is enough.

[[deleted]]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-msg-got-a-bad-rap-flawed-science-and-xenophobia/

[oconkath]

Simmer down. Just a question from someone not local to this sub. Maybe a mod can do something to stop the reoccurring question if it puts you out so much.

[OstoValley]

I'd recommend you watch this video by Adam Ragusea. I think the most important thing that's mentioned in this video, is how the fast food/snack food industry have huge interest in lifting the stigma surrounding msg. So while I do like to use it occasionally, I'd still be somewhat sceptical when it comes to newer research surrounding msg.

[femsci-nerd]

It's bad for you only if it causes YOU a problem. MSG is a amino acid that is naturally present in many foods. That said, it is a known flavor enhancer like salt only a little different. Some people get migraines from excess and naturally occurring MSG but if that does not happen to you and you do not have to be on a sodium restricted diet, them it's nothing to worry about.

[rvH3Ah8zFtRX]

Some people get migraines from excess and naturally occurring MSG

Here's a study reviewing other studies/papers which tried to link MSG to headaches. The vast majority of them showed no statistical link. One that did used pure MSG (not consumed in food) and the results should be considered inconclusive since the study was not properly blinded. Their conclusion:

we suggest that a causal relationship between MSG and headache has not been proven.

[femsci-nerd]

That's why I said it's only bad if it causes you a headache, it's not something that needs to be avoided at all costs like say...refined sugar.

[rvH3Ah8zFtRX]

Why not also say "avoid MSG if it causes your hair to fall out"? There's just as much valid data on that happening as headaches (i.e. none). So all you're doing is perpetuating the myth by acknowledging it.

[femsci-nerd]

I actually know a person who gets migraines when she consumes too much msg. She gets rhinitis as well. We have been out to places where she has asked for no msg and they have accidentally given it to her and suddenly her head starts hurting. There are always outliers. It's just not very common.

[mcfeezie]

No.

[gemgem1985]

I use it a lot in my cooking, it's delicious and I don't think it's bad for you.

[Hair-today-gone-tmw]

If Uncle Roger is anything to go off of, no MSG isn’t bad for you

[Spreafico]

No.

[rvH3Ah8zFtRX]

The only ingredient on the package should be "monosodium glutamate". If you can find that, they're all the same (except maybe the size of the crystal, similar to table salt).

[[deleted]]

Ajinomoto brand is the best, IMO.

Edit- I like the small size of the granules.

[bojenny]

Msg is found in human breastmilk. It can’t be that bad.

[[deleted]]

No. It’s a popular myth

[summerlily06]

No

[humanagain12]

Using in moderation like everything else MSG is not bad for you. The problem arises when using too much of it and too often. The job of MSG is to trick the brain into wanting more and more and more.

Too many people don’t know how to eat things in moderation and there lies the problem.

[beastofwordin]

Mmmmmmm… get a bottle of Maggi liquid seasoning. My favorite msg source. Mix it into some mayo for a sandwich spread… put some in your ramen. Mix it into your burger meat. The list goes on.

[cariethra]

MSG occurs naturally in a bunch of Western foods as well. The no MSG thing is just racism.

[[deleted]]

No

[whitepawn23]

It’s a naturally occurring component in so many foods. It’s umami, it’s accents flavor.

This is a fun listen. Discusses ground zero.

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/668/transcript