How MSG Impacts Your Health? Is It Really Harmful?

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavoring agent that has been widely used for around a hundred years, especially in Asian cooking. It is also frequently used in canned vegetables, soups, and other packaged foods. However, there is a lot of confusion about the safety of Monosodium Glutamate that needs to be cleared.

While several older research studies have claimed health risks associated with this condiment, recent studies have found newer insights into the properties of MSG. This article discusses how monosodium glutamate impacts your health and well-being.

What Is MSG?

Monosodium glutamate is derived from L-glutamic acid, which is a nonessential amino acid found in many foods. Non-essential amino acids can be produced in the body. It is an odorless and water-soluble food additive known as E621 in the food industry, produced by the fermentation of sugar beets, sugar canes, and molasses.

Glutamic acid found in natural foods is chemically similar to MSG found in flavoring agents. This compound has a specific taste known as umami, the fifth taste after salty, sweet, sour, and bitter. The compounds inosine 5’-monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine 5’-monophosphate (GMP) also possess an umami flavor. It is popular in Asian cooking and is also used in the west.

Meat contains naturally occurring glutamate (Image via Unsplash/Eiliv Aceron)

What Does MSG Taste Like?

Monosodium glutamate has a savory and meaty flavor and is usually associated with proteins present in food. This flavor is referred to as umami. Glutamic acid naturally present in meats gives the same flavor as foods flavored using MSG. It induces salivary secretions, that further enhances the taste of food.

What Is MSG Made Of?

Monosodium glutamate comprises two chemical components--sodium and glutamic acid. When dissolved in water, these molecules separate out into sodium ions and glutamate ions. The safety concerns of this compound, therefore, were mostly related to the presence of glutamic acid. The presence of sodium also adds to the concerns.

Check out this list of low-sodium foods for a healthy heart.

Is MSG Harmful?

The controversy surrounding monosodium glutamate began in the 1960s when Chinese-American doctor Robert Ho Man Kwok wrote a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine about certain symptoms he experienced after consuming monosodium glutamate.

However, the symptoms could have been a result of alcohol consumption as well, as mentioned by himself. This particular event led to misinformation about monosodium glutamate, which was further fuelled by racial discrimination against Chinese immigrants.

These symptoms were termed as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, which later became the Monosodium Glutamate Symptoms complex. Later, several research studies claimed MSG to be toxic. Recent studies have found several flaws with these studies such as:

control groups used in the studies were not adequate
small sample sizes
methodological inaccuracies
dosage wasn't specified
use of extremely high dosage irrelevant to diet
use of monosodium glutamate injections instead of dietary administration

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Food Safety Association (EFSA) consider monosodium glutamate to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The acceptable daily intake is 14 mg per pound (30 mg per kilogram) of body weight per day, which is way above the levels usually consumed in the diet.

Possible Health Risks

Although monosodium glutamate is considered safe at normal levels, intake of this compound at higher levels can cause several issues. Some of them are:

Brain Health

Being a neurotransmitter, glutamate can have implications on brain health in the long term. High intake of monosodium glutamate can lead to brain toxicity due to high levels of glutamate accumulation in the brain. However, glutamate ingested from foods flavored using MSG is not sufficient enough to cause toxicity. Dietary glutamate is metabolized in the gut and converted into other amino acids or energy.

Food Sensitivity

Some people may be sensitive to this compound and can show symptoms like weakness, flushing, dizziness, headache, numbness, muscle tightness, and difficulty breathing. These symptoms are similar to those mentioned by Dr. Kwok.

However, sensitivity can be triggered by a dose higher than three grams, which is unlikely in a regular diet. Several claims exist in the health and fitness world regarding the effects of monosodium glutamate on obesity.

Can I Use MSG in My Cooking?

Yes, you can use monosodium glutamate in your recipes without any concern. However, remember to use it according to the instructions provided in the pack.