Monosodium Glutamate/MSG: The Topic

[gfweb]

I have friends who SWEAR that they get bad effects from MSG, but can gobble Doritos with no effect. 

 

Uh huh.

[Darienne]

16 minutes ago, gfweb said:

I have friends who SWEAR that they get bad effects from MSG, but can gobble Doritos with no effect. 

 

Uh huh.

Never had a Doritos to test out that unstated theory.  In fact the above-posted event was my sole response to perhaps MSG.  No one else at the table felt the need to stand in the rain.

[Katie Meadow]

7 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

Are you sure? It is in most convenience foods, snacks etc - usually listed as flavor enhancer. Also naturally in cheese, tomato, mushrooms and a host of other foods.

I'm sorry I ever said a word. I've never gotten dizzy from a handful of cheetos or a sliced tomato, and I've eaten plenty of both. This thread proves that people just love to defame or defend MSG at the drop of a hat. I'm out!

[liuzhou]

At the risk of restarting World War III, here is a podcast version of the ever interesting BBC Food Programme, this time enitiled Pure umami: should we learn to love MSG?

 

Quote

Leyla Kazim investigates the history, science and culture around MSG

 

Edited May 16, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

On 1/3/2021 at 9:21 AM, Katie Meadow said:

This thread proves that people just love to defame or defend MSG at the drop of a hat. I'm out!

This thread proves that we each have individual responses to what we ingest.      Me?   i grew up on MSG's being used liberally in daily cooking.    You?  YMMV.

Edited May 17, 2021 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[Anna N]

On 5/16/2021 at 9:11 AM, liuzhou said:

At the risk of restarting World War III, here is a podcast version of the ever interesting BBC Food Programme, this time enitiled Pure umami: should we learn to love MSG?

 

 

I was avoiding this topic for the same reason that you mention. I have no wish to start World War III. But eventually I felt that I had to listen to this podcast and the big question that leaps out from it is not whether or not MSG causes a bunch of symptoms but whether or not its use is responsible for the consumption of food which is not naturally nutritious, i.e., junk food. And that is a question deserving of further study in my opinion. If it were not for the use of MSG would I really be consuming Funions? Lay’s sour cream and onion potato chips? In other words how much is MSG disrupting our diets in general by making things taste good that are really empty calories?

[lindag]

I vaguely remember when MSG fell out of favor many years ago.

Now is seems to be making a bit of a comeback. from where I sit anyway

Last time I looked, there was none to be had even online

But  recently I saw it available on Amazon and ordered some of it.

My primary reason was to add a kick to one of my Mom's recipes that has always been a favorite of min.  She made a Boiled Dinner with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, etc. and

I remember hers having what I'd call a kind of a 'bite' or acidic edge or sharpness that I can't quite recreate.  I do use bay leaves as well as the usual seasonings and a splash of vinegar at the end.  I thought the MSG might give me what I've been missing though I haven't tried it yet.

It also occurred to me that it might be a function of diminished taste due to normal aging.

Any thoughts you'd care to share would be much appreciated.

 

 

[Dave the Cook]

I agree that MSG was shunned (and blamed for more than a few things that weren't its fault) for a while. But I don't think it's ever been unavailable. If you remember Accent All Natural Flavor Enhancer, you're remembering MSG. 

 

However, I doubt that it, or undisguised MSG, was responsible for the kick in your Mom's recipe. MSG doesn't have much flavor on its own, if anything, it's got a sort-of meaty ambience. It really does enhance, rather than directly flavor food. If vinegar isn't working for you, maybe you could try lemon juice, wine or sour salt (eG-friendly Amazon.com link), which isn't salt at all, but citric acid.

[palo]

I have it in a shaker on the counter and use it frequently

 

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[donk79]

Yes!

[Katie Meadow]

No, I don't use it. I always thought it made me light headed and buzzy about ten minutes after leaving a Chinese restaurant. Either restaurants no longer use it, or enough to make me feel sick at any rate, or it was all in my head. And it was in my head, after all.

[gfweb]

If you can eat Nacho Cheese Doritos you can eat MSG

[Cyberider]

I remember seeing Chinese restaurants with signs in front advertising "No MSG"  so I figured it must be bad stuff.  I've never used it myself but I may have some in the back of my seasoning shelf that my late wife may have used and I may revisit it.

[liuzhou]

I use it regularly.

Also, many purchased processed foods contain it. In Europe it is E621. Many people who claim an intolderance or even allergy to MSG are fine with E621!

[btbyrd]

I use it often. It's especially nice in broths and as a seasoning on grilled or seared protein.

[eugenep]

I use MSG products indirectly  like Japanese kewpie mayo and Chinese oyster sauce and Nestle Maggi sauce (soy sauce?) 

 

I went to a store to buy it directly and they didn't have purse MSG but this chicken version of MSG only - so I guess it comes in flavors? 

 

I'm not sure how much to use direclty so I only buy and use MSG products (in mayonaise, Doritos chips, KFC fried chicken, and soy sauce etc.) 

[KennethT]

I use it regularly as well. Don't need much.

[gfweb]

34 minutes ago, eugenep said:

I use MSG products indirectly  like Japanese kewpie mayo and Chinese oyster sauce and Nestle Maggi sauce (soy sauce?) 

 

I went to a store to buy it directly and they didn't have purse MSG but this chicken version of MSG only - so I guess it comes in flavors? 

 

I'm not sure how much to use direclty so I only buy and use MSG products (in mayonaise, Doritos chips, KFC fried chicken, and soy sauce etc.) 

 

Buy "Accent"

Its in the spice section

[AAQuesada]

Just look for Ajinomoto in any Japanese market or Amazon. The original MSG

[liuzhou]

or 味精 (wèi jīng) in any Chinese market or store

[eugenep]

Hey. Here's one thing I don't get. 

 

Like..I put salt, vinegar, or chili on something and I get an idea of how much to use by tasting something as too salty, sour, or spicy. 

 

But..do you do that with MSG? I mean..when you sprinkle it on..do you taste it as too umami and too meaty? 

 

Like..how do you know you used too much? Or is that even possible? 

 

I always thought that was weird. 

[gfweb]

1 hour ago, eugenep said:

Hey. Here's one thing I don't get. 

 

Like..I put salt, vinegar, or chili on something and I get an idea of how much to use by tasting something as too salty, sour, or spicy. 

 

But..do you do that with MSG? I mean..when you sprinkle it on..do you taste it as too umami and too meaty? 

 

Like..how do you know you used too much? Or is that even possible? 

 

I always thought that was weird. 

 

I use it in sauces, tasting as I go.

[liuzhou]

3 hours ago, gfweb said:

Like..how do you know you used too much? Or is that even possible? 

 

If you over salt it gets more salty. Over vinegar more sour. Over chilli too hot. Nothing similar happens with MSG. It is almost tasteless in itself.

 

A teaspoon is usually enough for any home cooked dish.

Edited March 23, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[lindag]

13 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

No, I don't use it. I always thought it made me light headed and buzzy about ten minutes after leaving a Chinese restaurant. Either restaurants no longer use it, or enough to make me feel sick at any rate, or it was all in my head. And it was in my head, after all.

It appears to have side affects for some people, according to my research.

[liuzhou]

4 minutes ago, lindag said:

It appears to have side affects for some people, according to my research.

 

MSG is by far the most researched food additive ever. No scientific evidence for anything negative has ever been found. It occurs naturally in foods from tomatoes to mushrooms to cheeses and more, which surprisingly don't bother so-called intolerance sufferers.