Ajay Nahata's Blog

Have you ever gone out for Chinese food and felt bloated, dizzy, got headaches and experienced tightness in your chest? You made the connection with the food you ate and vowed that you were never going for Chinese food again, unless it was a place that does not use MSG.

But what most people don't know is that MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is in thousands of processed foods. You will find it in salad dressing; frozen dinners; potatoes chips and in most fast food. What is even more of a concern is that it goes under more than twenty-five different names, making it almost impossible to decipher, unless of course you have a degree in food science.

So what is MSG anyways and why is it in our food chain? MSG was introduced over fifty years ago. It is a flavourless crystalline substance that has no flavour of its own but will enhance the flavour of certain foods that it is mixed with. It is also used as a meat tenderizer and in its pure form, goes under the name "Accent".

Food manufacturers use it because it makes their food taste good, actually so good that it becomes addictive and you can't stop eating it. Pretty smart marketing isn't it, because the more you eat, the more you buy and the more you increase their bottom line.

MSG has been linked to a host of disorders including: obesity; asthma, high blood pressure; blindness; migraines and Type II Diabetes. Although there are reports for and against the safety of MSG, the numbers speak for themselves. As MSG increased in our food supply, so did asthma, Type II Diabetes and obesity.

According to the latest report from the BBC, China has witnessed a 28 fold increase in childhood obesity from 1985-2000. As fast food and more proceeded foods were introduced into their food chain, the obesity rates climbed. In John Erb's book the "The Slow Poisoning of America", he states that thousands of research reports done on rats injected with MSG showed they became obese. Rats by nature are not obese animals. If MSG is an addictive substance like nicotine, it is no wonder we are a population of expanding waistlines.

Instead of being persuaded by ulterior motives by the food giants, get informed about what you are eating so you can make smarter choices. The following is a list of some of the names that MSG is known as:

* Glutamate
* Glutamic Acid
* Gelatin
* Monopotassium
* Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HVP) or (HPP)
* Autolyzed Yeast
* Sodium Caseinate
* Calcium Caseinate
* Textured Protein
* Yeast Extract

My lesson for the day, try to eat a cleaner diet free of additives and preservatives. Your body will thank you for it.

By Dini Cohen