Last Updated on 2020-12-02 , 6:33 pm
If there’s one flavour enhancer that you’re pretty sure you know, it’s got to be MSG.
We’ve heard many myths about it – too much is not good for your body lah, if you take food that’s got lots of MSG in it you’ll feel very thirsty after you finish eating lah, and some people even complain about headaches after eating food that’s been seasoned with MSG.
So, is it really bad for you? Are there some hidden facts about MSG you wish you knew yesterday?
Here’s what you have to know- even if you don’t want to!
MSG Goes by So Many Names
If you see a product labelled as E621, sodium glutamate, Ve-tsin, yeast extract, Monosodium L-glutamate, Agi-nomoto or mono sodium glutamate, just know that it’s plain old MSG you’re reading of. They’re not exactly fancy names to mislead, but the technical terms.
How It Works As A Flavour Enhancer?
This food additive stirs up the “umami” taste buds you’ve got on your tongue, which is taste buds that recognize rich, savoury food. In other words, it helps us enjoy food that would otherwise not seem so yummy. So no, MSG isn’t sweet or salty – it just magically stir up your taste buds.
What Could Happen If You Take It Daily
If you consume MSG every day, you’re looking at the possibility of obesity, depression and even eye damage, among other things! Boy, it’s all about moderation.
It Was Once Called the “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”
Yep, sounds pretty bad. The phrase came to be after a number of people complained about feeling numb, nauseated and even experiencing headaches after having Chinese food, which they claimed to have had MSG.
Who Discovered MSG?
A chemistry professor from the University of Tokyo back in 1908 by the name of Kikunae Ikeda did. Yeah, nothing to do with Ikea just FYI. It’s made in Japan, just like Doreamon.
What’s the Magic Component of MSG?
Glutamate helps in the creation of MSG. In fact, it a pretty usual amino acid that can be found in soy sauce, dried mushrooms, tomatoes, parmesan cheese and dig this, even in human breast milk! The souce of amino acid for MSG that Ikeda used was from kelp, a.k.a. dried kombu seaweed.
Ikeda Created Ajinomoto
Yes, the household name in food enhancer is created by none other than the founder of MSG himself!
How Much Sodium in MSG vs Salt?
Don’t be shocked, but the content of sodium in table salt is at 39 per cent, which is damn high when compared to MSG at 12. Not that MSG is better, but just saying. Moderation, my friend. Moderation.
What Does MSG Look Like?
It’s a white crystal-like substance that looks almost like salt, but not quite. You can Google for the image and be shocked at how beautiful it looks. Pretty Instagram-worthy if you would ask me.
Has MSG Been Used Medically?
Well, according to some reports, MSG can be used to treat hepatic coma, which is a brain condition that happens when there’s a severe liver problem.
Hmm… Looks like this bad boy has got some good uses too. The thing is though, there’s been conflicting reports on whether MSG is good or bad for people.
What do you think? Would you still consume MSG-flavoured food? Or will you still check that Ramen pack to see if it’s MSG-free?
Here’s our advice: moderation. Have I been overusing this word? No?
Featured Image: Poring Studio / Shutterstock.com
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