(No, it’s not a new model Tesla came up with)
Welcome! Thank you for reading my blog about fitness, nutrition, and your overall health. As some of you know I am a personal fitness and nutrition trainer expanding to be a health coach as well. So these blogs are about everything to keep you happy and healthy. So today’s topic is on MSG’s. We have all heard of this additive to “enhance” the flavor of our food but do we really know what it’s doing to our health? Well I’m here to clear up some confusion, misinformation and see what we can do about it. So let’s dive right in and find out!
So MSG stands for Monosodium Glutamate. It is one of the most widely used and controversial food additives approved by the FDA. However, research suggests that it may not be that healthy and could have a negative effect on your overall health. According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), it considers the addition of MSG to foods to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). (https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/questions-and-answers-monosodium-glutamate-msg). GRAS, what the heck does that mean?! Oh that is the government’s way of saying that it’s actually not that good for you but won’t kill you. (Yes, this is my opinion of the definition of GRAS). But anyway, it is technically safe to eat however in small quantities. There are some people who cannot have MSG’s due to blood pressure issues and/or other health issues.
What is MSG
Ok so let’s look at what it is exactly. MSG’s are the sodium salts of glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is an amino acid that is naturally present in our bodies. It is also found in many foods that we eat. But here is the kicker! Looking back further in time…………….In the Asian community there is a dish that has a glutamate-rich seaweed broth that people have been eating for years, and in 1908 a Japanese professor was able to extract the glutamate from the broth and produce this savory additive to the public. However, Looking at the present day MSG is produced from fermenting starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, and/or molasses! BOOM! And the kick is good from 50 yards! Ok so that’s the difference. It is not produced the same as it “originally” was in the early 1900’s. Seaweed is actually very good for you and makes a great snack. I believe if they produced it the same way as before it would not have the same negative effects on our health as today.
Is it safe?
Generally speaking yes, however the FDA hired an independent organization to examine the safety of MSG. Their report came back with this;
“Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) to examine the safety of MSG in the 1990s. FASEB’s report concluded that MSG is safe. The FASEB report identified some short-term, transient, and generally mild symptoms, such as headache, numbness, flushing, tingling, palpitations, and drowsiness that may occur in some sensitive individuals…”
I don’t know about you but that seems like a lot of symptoms for something that is safe. Also, how do you know if you are a sensitive individual? Because I know some people that might tell me different, I’m just saying.
My take away & advice
Here is my opinion and my advice to you. I believe we are all sensitive individuals. Our bodies have been changing for a hundred years. What humans were able to eat back then is not the same as what we are able to eat today. Today we have different farming practices, pesticides, GMO’s and food additives and in 1908 none of which was available. So if it’s not made the same as it originally was with the same ingredients and it has been modified then can you still call it the same name? Think about that. If the original MSG flavor was extracted from seaweed and today it’s from the fermentation process of starch and sugar, is it the same thing? So my advice is simple, if after you eat something like Chinese, soy sauce, etc. and you feel a tingling sensation, headache, palpitations, or feel tired you’re a sensitive individual and should stay away from it all together. I have those symptoms after I eat it and I have eliminated it out of my diet. If your body makes its own don’t add more to it. I personally think it is unhealthy, unsafe, and should not be added if it is not the same as originally produced.
Another question that you have to ask yourself is why did they change it? You can grow more seaweed. It’s naturally found in the ocean and you should be able to grow it on huge farms fairly inexpensive if someone really wanted to. So, they weren’t testing the MSG’s from 1908, they were testing the MSG’s that are made today.
I hope this helps you make an informed decision about your food and your health. I wish you all the best and keep checking back for more awesome topics to keep you happy and healthy. Until next time and if you want my advice, help, or want me to train you just reach out and let me know.
Take Care!
Darren
Harmony Shift 