What about 'monosodium glutimate'?
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Silversage
Head Chef
MSG is a naturally occurring salt in most foods. As a seasoning, it is a flavor enhancer, increasing the taste of umami.
Some years ago, some people started insisting that it was evil, and responsible for the headaches they felt after eating Chinese food. Just like every other fad, folks tried avoiding it. However, they were still eating it in all kinds of foods. Scientific research has proved definitively that MSG is not a 'thing' for most people. Like any other food substance, there a very few actually sensitive to it (less than 1%), but of course, 90% of the people on the interwebs started complaining that it gave them headaches.
If you've ever eaten bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheeses, fruit juices, etc, you are ingesting MSG. So folks that are truly affected by it would have a very restricted, bland diet.
The science says it's safe; the folklore says it's evil. Believe whichever you wish. I use it in some dishes, in the form of Accent seasoning.
Some years ago, some people started insisting that it was evil, and responsible for the headaches they felt after eating Chinese food. Just like every other fad, folks tried avoiding it. However, they were still eating it in all kinds of foods. Scientific research has proved definitively that MSG is not a 'thing' for most people. Like any other food substance, there a very few actually sensitive to it (less than 1%), but of course, 90% of the people on the interwebs started complaining that it gave them headaches.
If you've ever eaten bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheeses, fruit juices, etc, you are ingesting MSG. So folks that are truly affected by it would have a very restricted, bland diet.
The science says it's safe; the folklore says it's evil. Believe whichever you wish. I use it in some dishes, in the form of Accent seasoning.
Last edited:
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Agree 100%
Adam Ragusea, a YouTuber I follow said that the worst thing about MSG is that it makes junk food taste great and people eat too many junky snacks because of it. That certainly seems to be one factor in the standard North American diet.
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
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I use MSG/Accent all the time for decades. It's in my all-purpose house blend seasoning I make.
What do you use it on? Everything?
You can. You can use it wherever you would use salt. It makes a bigger difference on some foods than others. I remembered this video which tried MSG on 33 different foods...
CD
pepperhead212
Master Chef
Here's a previous discussion on MSG, from not too long ago:
www.discusscooking.com
MSG
With thanks to Uncle Roger. Who here uses MSG? I certainly do absolutely. I use it in place of salt, although it is a type of salt. Chinese food headache is a myth that has been debunked all over. Maybe too much MSG, which like any other ingredient can make you feel unwell. MSG has a softer...
www.discusscooking.com
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
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Everything
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
I don’t buy MSG but it is an ingredient in many of the products that I use.
I’ve dodged many bullets on the way to age 70 and now I’m too old to worry about such things.
I’ve dodged many bullets on the way to age 70 and now I’m too old to worry about such things.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
I have it on hand, and use it primarily when cooking Chinese food. The only time I ever have an issue is if I use to much, so I make it a point not to use too much.
When you use too much, what happens? Do you get the weird edge of face/scalp sensations?
larry_stewart
Master Chef
I get the headache that people claim you don't get with MSG. It was a very consistent reaction. Consistent enough to not be coincidence. It wasn't debilitating, but annoying. I do continue to use MSG for various dishes, but in moderation, I do feel it makes a difference in the final outcome of the recipe.
Interesting. I have never gotten a headache from MSG (that I know of), but I used to get this very bizarre sensation around the edge of my face and into my scalp. It felt like all the muscles were pulling in the opposite direction from their neighbour muscles. I have met a number of people who have had that reaction to MSG. Many of them called it a headache. Yes, annoying, but not worse than that. I haven't had that reaction in a couple of decades. I don't keep any MSG powder in my kitchen. I tend to use fish sauce and other natural sources of MSG.
Too much MSG will have the same effect as too much salt, for me. It's a kidney issue. I'll retain water, and my legs and feet will blow up like balloons.
CD
MSG may just effect some people with a certain gene, sort of like cilantro tasting like soap to some us, while other people look at us funny when we say cilantro tastes like soap.
CD
jazzerlord
Assistant Cook
Monosodium glutamate is safe for consumption by most people. I don't see anything dangerous about it.
Jade Emperor
Sous Chef
Calling Uncle Roger
Jade Emperor
Sous Chef
MSG is a much milder salt than Western tastes are used to, therefore a lot of cooks use far too much.
It’s a wonderful ingredient when you use it correctly.
I’m a deep dive cook into Thai cuisine and I love it because it’s a very versatile and complex part of the meal.
At the moment I am studying Thai cuisine in the western culture. It’s wildly different to traditional Thai. Try it yourself, but be aware that traditional Thai is far hotter than you might like. MSG is just a part of that, not a whole.
It’s a wonderful ingredient when you use it correctly.
I’m a deep dive cook into Thai cuisine and I love it because it’s a very versatile and complex part of the meal.
At the moment I am studying Thai cuisine in the western culture. It’s wildly different to traditional Thai. Try it yourself, but be aware that traditional Thai is far hotter than you might like. MSG is just a part of that, not a whole.
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