To meet the demand of a growing population, food became more processed in the second half of the 20th century. Food additives were developed to preserve the appearance, longevity, taste and flavor of food.
As more food became processed, more food additives of varying levels of safety were developed and added to food without adequate testing and with little effective regulation.
Many food additives have been linked with cancer, neurological damage, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and digestive problems. One such food additive is monosodium glutamate (MSG).
MSG became popular in the US in the late 1940s. The benefit of this flavor enhancer was that no matter how low the quality of a food item, adding MSG improved the flavor significantly.
However, within ten years of its release, research studies began to link MSG to MS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, seizures, stroke, depression, brain trauma, anxiety, schizophrenia, epilepsy, addiction, neuropathic pain and other diseases of the central nervous system.
Deciding to omit MSG from the diet is the first step in avoiding the development of the progressive degenerative diseases it causes. Reading labels on all food items purchased is an essential habit to develop.
However, reading labels can be misleading when only looking for the terms MSG or monosodium glutamate. The FDA has allowed MSG to be labeled under a variety of different names.
Names approved by the FDA are used by manufacturers to hide MSG in food. They are vegetable powder, chicken stock, beef stock and vegetable stock, maltodextrin, whey, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, protein isolate, hydrolyzed plant protein, hydrolyzed yeast protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, calcium caseinate, Kombu extract, Chinese seasoning, ajinomoto, accent, gourmet powder, Vetsin, Zest, Subu, Glutavene, tortula yeast, flavorings, glutacyl, RL-500 and natural flavoring. Disodium guanylate and disodium inosate are both food additives used to enhance the MSG in the food.
Food Containing MSG
MSG is found in prepared soup stock, bouillon cubes, sauces, salad dressings, Bumblebee, Star-Kist and Chicken of the Sea tuna fish, frozen, canned and prepared food, ice cream, and frozen yogurt, flavored chips and crackers, sodas, sports drinks, iced tea mixes, canned soups, especially Campbell’s, soy sauces, condiments, jell-o, "low fat" and "no fat" foods, jerky and seasonings.
Meat and poultry labels that read minimally processed or enhanced by broth will contain MSG or hydrolyzed protein.
MSG is also found in products one would not expect such as infant formula, vaccinations, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, soaps, conditioners, shampoos, cosmetics, wine, tobacco, chewing gum, candy, protein drinks for seniors and pesticides.
In hospitals it is found in some IV solutions given to very sick patients and enteral tube feeding products.
Fast Food Restaurants Use Excessive Amounts of MSG
Fast food restaurants use excessively large amounts of MSG. MSG is found in the hamburger mix, French fries, sauces, marinades, salad dressings and the breaded coatings on various foods that are deep fried, such as fish and chicken.
- Taco Bell uses seasonings that include hidden MSG in all their meals including the meats, rice and salad dressings.
- Burger King lists six of the commonly listed hidden names for MSG in most of its products.
- MacDonald’s - except for the salad, most of the food, including salad dressings served at MacDonald’s contains MSG.
- Kentucky Fried Chicken – According to the chain’s legal counsel, no product is free of added MSG.
- Boston Market uses hydrolyzed protein and autolyzed yeast in most of the food.
- Denny’s – The eggs, pancakes and waffles should be fairly safe, but not the syrup. Most of the rest of the food items have MSG.
- Cracker Barrel – The eggs, vegetarian platter, baked potato and the grilled cheese sandwich is fairly free of MSG. However, the meat is treated with hydrolyzed protein. The salad dressings and gravies have MSG.
- Chick Fil-A – The breading with all the spices that the chicken is prepared with is loaded with MSG. The iced tea is brewed fresh daily and is considered free of MSG.
- Chili’s is considered to be an MSG-free restaurant. However, be advised to check on soups, salad dressings and breaded food.
Optimally, avoiding MSG will help prevent the buildup and damage from this neurotoxin. Many studies have shown that 80% of subjects have significantly lessened the symptoms of MSG after supplementing with 50mg of vitamin B6 for at least 12 weeks. A remedy called "Polarity Balance" by Hanna Kroeger Herbs helps cleanse the body of MSG.
Sources:
1. Burger King Website for food ingredients
2. Leung, A, et al, Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 1996
3. Wen, C-P, et al, Effects of Dietary Vitamin B6 on the Utilization of Monosodium Glutamate by Rats, Journal of Nutrition, 1972
4. Boat Loads of MSG in Mac Donald’s Food, Are You Loving It?, MSG Exposed2009
5. Taco Bell Has MSG: Run From the Border, MSG Exposed, 2009
6. The Slow Poisoning of America, Rense, 2009
Kathryn Picoulin - Dr. Kathryn Picoulin, BSN, ND, PhD received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University of Chico in 1978. After ...
