By Any Other Name, MSG Is Still Poison
Published on 09-23-2010 Email To Friend Print Version
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Source: National Post - Meghan Telpner

MSG like aspartame, is a form of exito-toxin. Excitotoxins are chemicals that excite the brain cells, causing them to fire rapidly, and then suddenly die. This chemical was first added to food after World War II and since then has been added by the food industry in dramatically increasing concentrations. MSG works by magnifying the taste of food by stimulating cells in the brain and the tongue.

MSG has infiltrated nearly every brand and nearly every product line of processed foods, from infant food, seasonings, and soups including some found in health food stores. It is in everything! Seasoned crackers, chips, commercial soups (including Campbell’s), Doritos, Instant Noodles, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Kraft Dinner, Heinz ketchup, Swanson frozen prepared meals, Kraft salad dressings, especially the ‘healthy low fat’ ones as something needs to replace the great taste of fat. The list could go on forever- essentially listing the majority of products that line the aisles of the supermarket.

MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (another common name for MSG) are also in the food we get from Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and KFC. The scary thing is that we can’t just assume that avoiding fast food ensures that we avoid MSG.

You’ll find MSG present in many of your favourite snacks at your local health food store. Seasoned “organic” chips and crackers may list ‘yeast extract’ on the label. Organic chicken or vegetable broth powders also contain MSG.

Checking food labels for Monosodium Glutamate is not that simple. MSG is found in dozens of ingredients used in food processing and labelling laws do not require manufacturers to list the ingredients of ingredients. MSG itself also has a variety of other names.

These include but sadly, are not limited to:

* MSG
* Gelatin Calcium Caseinate
* Monosodium glutamate
* Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
* Textured Protein
* Monopotassium glutamate
* Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP)
* Yeast Extract
* Glutamate
* Autolyzed Plant Protein
* Yeast food or nutrient
* Glutamic Acid
* Sodium Caseinate
* Autolyzed Yeast
* Vegetable Protein Extract
* Senomyx (wheat extract labeled as artificial flavor)
* Bouillon
* Natural flavoring
* Whey protein concentrate or isolate
* Maltodextrin
* Barley malt

Long term and/or frequent consumption of MSG is associated with increased risk of heart disease, atheroscleorosis, high blood pressure and cancer. Some forms of cancer cells have glutamate receptors on them, thus causing the cancer cells to duplicate and spread more rapidly when exposed to the isolated glutamate found in MSG.

MSG, Aspartame and other chemicals that qualify as excitotoxins are potentially toxic to everyone, even to people who do not experience the common adverse reactions. The most susceptible however are children (four times more vulnerable than adults) as their blood brain barriers are not yet fully developed and the elderly whose barriers are deteriorating. Additionally, there is sound scientific research that suggests that the glutamic acid in MSG may act as a “slow neurotoxin,” not resulting in observable damage such as dementia until years after the MSG was ingested. MSG consumption has been closely linked to addictive behaviour, obesity, stunted growth, behaviour disorders, learning and memory disorders, hyperglycemia, stroke, epilepsy, brain trauma, depression and anxiety.

We may be addicted to it, we may think it tastes good, we may think we aren’t consuming that much and we may even think we are depriving our children if we do not let them have it- but if they don’t know what they’re missing where is the harm? It is easily in our control to prevent children from consuming this terribly toxic harmful chemical. MSG is not something children should ever be exposed to. They can not develop antibodies to protect themselves- no one can. It is a chemical drug that should never have found its way into our food supply.

Is eating this toxic poison worth it just because it tastes good? Is it okay to eat it just because everyone else is? And if we chose to eat it, if we chose to make the leap, well, that is our decision. But it is our responsibility not to drag others, especially the young ones, unknowingly, down with us.

Meghan Telpner is a Toronto-based nutritionist, Chief Love Maker at the The Love In The Kitchen Academy and director of Nourish Your Soul Holidays. Her Making Love In The Kitchen series will bring you tips on how to prepare healthful, nutritious goodness from whole foods.

See Part 1

See Part 2.