In the daily diet, monosodium glutamate is used as a food additive, and its main function is to enhance the deliciousness of food. However, many health-conscious people have concerns about whether MSG is harmful to the body. Actually, this is a rumor.
Today, Uncle Ning will talk to you about the topic of monosodium glutamate, not long ago, an elder of Uncle Ning told Uncle Ning when cooking, don't put MSG in cooking, saying that MSG will cause cancer after heating, MSG is a chemically synthesized product, toxic, and said that MSG can make people have high blood pressure and make people obese...
So, Uncle Ning will talk to you about whether MSG is harmful to the human body.
When it comes to monosodium glutamate, its essence is a form of glutamate, specifically glutamic acid in its free state. It is the free state of glutamate that gives food its characteristic umami taste. In general, glutamic acid binds to other amino acids and is a component of protein and does not have a significant taste. However, free glutamate is different, and it can bring a unique taste. Many foods naturally contain this free glutamate, such as tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms, green beans, and certain grains.
MSG is not a naturally occurring amino acid, nor is it a chemically synthesized product, but is obtained by hydrolysis or fermentation of food. Although MSG is not completely natural, it is not chemically synthesized either. The human body cannot distinguish between glutamate in monosodium glutamate and glutamic acid produced by the body, both of which undergo the same metabolic process.
The discovery of MSG dates back to 1908, when a Japanese professor observed that his wife's kombu soup had a unique umami flavor that could not be described by traditional sweet, sour, bitter and spicy, reflecting an excellent taste. Since then, MSG has played an integral role in people's diets.
However, the negative reputation of MSG began in the 60s of the 20th century. At that time, an American professor felt unwell after eating Chinese food, and suffered from symptoms such as headache, numbness in his limbs, confusion, and nausea. He thought it might be MSG and named the phenomenon "Chinese restaurant syndrome". Since then, Chinese food and the MSG it uses have been labeled as unhealthy, leading many Chinese restaurants to declare that their dishes do not contain MSG in order to maintain their business. However, there is also a theory that Chinese food was very popular in the United States at that time, so Western/fast food restaurants used rumors to discourage Chinese restaurants. In short, it was a complete "prank"
As for whether MSG actually causes these symptoms, it is difficult to determine because it is difficult to find direct evidence. People consume not only MSG but other ingredients when they eat. Therefore, even if some symptoms occur, it is not possible to conclude that MSG is responsible. Despite numerous studies, to date, the scientific community has not found conclusive evidence that MSG causes health problems. Despite the lack of evidence, some people believe they have adverse reactions to MSG.
According to common sense, individuals have different sensitivities to different substances, so it is not excluded that a very small number of people will have allergic reactions to foods containing MSG, such as headache, fatigue, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, or symptoms such as gas. Although this possibility exists, the claim that MSG can cause serious health problems such as nerve damage is unfounded because MSG is often added in smaller amounts in foods. Official studies and conclusions generally agree that normal intake of MSG as a food additive is harmless to health.
In addition, some studies have pointed out that MSG may affect weight and metabolism because it makes food delicious, stimulates people's taste buds and leads to overconsumption, resulting in excessive calorie and salt intake, affecting weight and metabolic health. This is especially important for people who consume excessive amounts of MSG, such as those who often order takeout or eat in restaurants. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter, and excessive intake of glutamate may affect the quality of sleep at night.
In addition, MSG is not limited to Chinese food, and many processed foods also contain MSG, but it may not be clearly stated on the label. Therefore, consumers need to be cautious when choosing processed foods. For those who are allergic to MSG, it is recommended to reduce or avoid foods containing MSG if they feel unwell after consumption. The principle of a healthy diet is to choose foods that are as natural and light as possible, and to pay attention to the right amounts.
Someone once did an experiment on MSG, and the results showed that psychological factors also play an important role in people's feelings about food. In this experiment, participants experienced various subjective symptoms after being told that the food they consumed contained MSG, despite the fact that the food did not contain MSG. This suggests that people's psychological expectations may influence how they feel and react to food.
Finally, Uncle Ning will talk about chicken essence, in fact, chicken essence is an "upgraded" product of monosodium glutamate, chicken essence is made on the basis of monosodium glutamate, adding other seasonings, which also adds nucleotides, with the umami taste of chicken, so it is called chicken essence. Its main ingredients are mainly salt, starch, white sugar, local chicken powder and garlic powder, as long as it is not eaten in excess, it is not harmful to the body. And many friends will think that chicken essence is better than monosodium glutamate, chicken essence contains protein, vitamins and minerals, etc., and its nutritional value is higher than monosodium glutamate. It contains no less than 10.7 grams of protein per 100 grams.
Therefore, Uncle Ning finally told everyone that scientifically speaking, monosodium glutamate and chicken essence are actually not harmful to the human body, provided that you don't overeat. In fact, you can't eat too much of anything, just as drinking too much water is not good for your body. However, patients with high blood pressure should pay attention to the intake of monosodium glutamate, because monosodium glutamate is monosodium glutamate, which also contains sodium, although the content is not as much as salt, but it should also be strictly controlled and eaten as little as possible.
The only thing worth noting is that MSG and chicken essence, as a "sharp weapon" to enhance freshness and flavor, may make us eat more meals, which indirectly leads to our weight gain.