The Dangers Of MSG

You may not realize that here are many hidden dangers of MSG (monosodium glutamate). After all, it is a common ingredient in many popular foods.

Monosodium glutamate is known to cause a long list of side effects and health problems. Here are some to watch out for:

• Allergic reactions
• Alzheimer's disease
• Asthma attacks
• Burning, numbness, or tingling in or around your mouth
• Brain damage
• Cancer
• Chest pain
• Confusion
• Damage to your unborn child
• Death due to an MSG reaction
• Diarrhea
• Eye inflammation
• Flushing
• Free radical damage to your blood vessels (this can lead to a heart attack or a stroke)
• Headaches (including migraine headaches)
• Heart disease
• Memory loss
• Nausea
• Pressure or tightness in the muscles in your face
• Fertility problems (for both men and women)
• Rapid, fluttering heartbeats
• Seizures
• Shortness of breath
• Stuttering or speech problems
• Sweating
• Swelling of the brain (brain edema)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Weakness
• Weight gain (the weight you gain from eating MSG is very difficult to lose)

Note: You'll get a lot more details on the dangers of MSG (and a few other common, but deadly food ingredients) in Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills by Russell L. Blaylock, MD.

Babies and children are more sensitive and susceptible to monosodium glutamate than adults because their bodies and brains are not fully developed yet. If you are pregnant, it is especially important to avoid eating anything that contains MSG.

Even though monosodium glutamate is associated with all of these problems you will STILL find it in fast food, restaurant food, and several thousand different (mostly processed) food products including:

Baby foods, baby formulas (msg gets formed when soy proteins and milk proteins are processed), beef stock, beef jerky, beverages, bouillon cubes, candy, canned soup, cheese, chewing gum, chicken stock, condiments (such as BBQ sauce, salad dressings, etc), cookies, crackers, frozen dinners, frozen seafood, ice cream, instant noodles (in the seasoning package), medications (some varieties), potato chips (the flavored kind), processed meats, seasonings (such as Sazon, Vegeta, Accent, vegetarian chicken style seasonings, and others), supplements (some brands), tortilla chips (the flavored kind), vegetable stock, vitamin enriched foods (some), and the list goes on...

You may be exposed to the dangers of MSG without even knowing it!

Some manufactures hide or disguise MSG by using alternate names that most people will not suspect.

Some ingredients to watch out for are yeast extract, textured protein, protein isolate, and calcium caseinate. MSG may even be labeled using very vague terms such as "natural flavors" or "seasonings."

Click here for a more complete list of hidden sources of monosodium glutamate. Note: This link will open up a new window and take you to another website.

Tips to Help You Avoid MSG

Now that your eyes are open to the many dangers of MSG, here are some practical tips to help you reduce or eliminate this food additive from your diet. This is especially important if you're sensitive to monosodium glutamate.

• Avoid processed foods and stick to natural whole foods instead.
• If you must eat anything that is prepackaged, read the label very carefully. Remember to watch out for hidden MSG - even when you are choosing healthier brands from the health food store. Some packaged organic foods may contain MSG (listed as yeast protein).
• Avoid foods that are "ultra pasteurized" (as this process can cause free glutamates to form).
• Avoid eating fast foods. Do your research and choose restaurants that offer healthier, MSG-free meals.
• Make your own food from scratch using your own herbs and seasonings. Click here for some naturally healthy recipes!

Related pages:

Monosodium Glutamate

Food Additives