The MSG Scare Of Chinese Food — Is Monosodium Glutamate Or ‘Aji-no-moto’ Harmful Or Not?

“The great MSG myth exposed: it’s not bad for you” screams a headline in the UK daily ‘The Sunday Times’. Your brain will become dull!” For decades, the flavour enhancer has been blamed for making people feel ill after consuming Chinese food, or even harming our long-term health, reminds the recent report in the Times. The said light allergic reactions that a rare few people suffer for a short time upon eating MSG-containing foods are clubbed together as ‘MSG symptom complex’. They are: Headache Flushing Sweating Face pressure or tightness Lack of feeling, tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas Quick, fluttering heartbeats Chest pain Feeling sick Weakness A study by the University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, among others, published in Pub Med Central, says that “.it remains to be proven that diet-added MSG could induce behavioral, biochemical, and morphological changes in structures such as cerebrum, hippocampus, and cerebellum of adult mammals. “Most people don’t ingest MSG on its own, and since most recipes call for a scant amount — 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat — it’s unlikely you’d consume it in high enough quantities to be affected.” Bottom Line: Go Easy, Take MSG-Related Claims With A Pinch Of Salt Can MSG cause damage to your health?