13 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:I've never been able to detect the difference in taste when MSG is added to restaurant food. About twenty minutes later I know for sure one way or the other. No mistaking the symptoms for me. I don't eat a lot of Chinese restaurant food, partly because of that and partly because most of it doesn't seem that great. I make some dishes at home, admittedly a limited repertoire, and never wish they had more flavor.
The fact that some people are sensitive to MSG and others not never seems to figure into "scientific" judgments. All I know is that if it isn't the MSG it is something in the food that doesn't like me. My husband doesn't react to it, or perhaps he's just generally spacey.
I am certainly not qualified to judge the effects of MSG on every individual. When it comes to taste it does make a difference, at least to me. If you want to try, I suggest the following experiment: Make a mixture of 60% salt, 20% sugar and 20% MSG and use this to flavor simple egg dishes instead of using 100% salt. Scrambled eggs, omelette, tortilla de patatas ... The outcome will be surprising(ly good) and I would be surprised if you feel any ill effect from the MSG.
