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Food trends -

It is no great secret that foods go in and out of fashion like clothes. Many substances in foods will find themselves falling into disrepute sooner or later.

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Introducing MSG -

Perhaps the most villainized edible compound of them all is monosodium glutamate, otherwise known as MSG.

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The million-dollar question -

For years, MSG has had a terrible reputation among medical and non-medical individuals alike. But what is MSG, and is it actually bad for you?

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Sodium -

MSG is a combination (surprise, surprise) of two substances: sodium and glutamate. Sodium has long since been accepted as an important part of our diet.

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Glutamate -

Glutamate is an amino acid that can be found in many plant and animal proteins. It has been shown to help our digestion, muscle function, and immune system.

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Why we like it -

Importantly, glutamate tastes great. It has a specific, savory flavor that can be found in foods such as mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes, and broth.

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Chase the taste - The yummy taste of glutamate is fundamentally what triggered the discovery of MSG by Japanese scientist Dr. Ikeda Kikunae in 1908.

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Umami -

Kikunae was trying to isolate the molecule that gives the unique flavor umami, which essentially means "pleasant or savory taste."

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The five basic tastes -

Nowadays, umami is considered one of the five basic tastes in food (the other four are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter).

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Producing umami -

Umami is produced when we cook certain foods, breaking down their proteins and releasing amino acids like glutamate.

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The birth of MSG -

In 1908, Kikunae found a shortcut to creating umami. He found that by combining sodium with high quantities of glutamate from a bowl of broth, he could create a delicious seasoning.

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Instant deliciousness -

And so MSG was born, and the world was introduced to a seasoning that was able to instantly increase the umami of any given dish.

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The spread of MSG -

It was an immediate success: by the 1930s, MSG was a kitchen staple across much of Asia, and by the middle of the century it featured heavily in global commercial food production.

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Dr. Robert Kwok -

MSG met its downfall in 1968, when Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok wrote a letter to a prestigious medical journal detailing symptoms he had experienced after eating at a Chinese restaurant.

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Kwok and MSG -

In his letter, Kwok considered whether the MSG in his food could have been the cause of his symptoms, which included a headache.

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A hunch with consequences -

Kwok had only a hunch that it was the MSG that was responsible for his sickness, but his letter sparked widespread panic and condemnation of the seasoning.

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The response -

Many people, both researchers and citizens alike, demanded an investigation into MSG, which admittedly had not been tested for toxicity.

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The reality -

Although it is true that the health risks of MSG had received little attention until that point, it is now believed that much of the reaction to Kwok’s letter was seated in racial prejudice.

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'Dangerous' foods -

At the time the letter was published, there was considerable prejudice, particularly in the US, against Asian foods, which were often labeled as dangerous.

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The response of journalists -

The publication of the letter sparked an increase in the spread of racially-biased journalism, which even spread to the reporting of studies into the safety of MSG.

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MSG and brain damage -

For example, one study in 1969 concluded that injecting mice with MSG caused severe damage to the rodent’s retina and brain.

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MSG and brain damage -

It was subsequently reported by the media that consuming MSG could cause brain damage.

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MSG and Alzheimer's -

There were also studies that showed a link between excess MSG levels and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

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MSG and Alzheimer's -

Ultimately it was shown, however, that this excess of MSG was caused by internal glutamate imbalances that were entirely unrelated to the food we eat.

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The role played by doctors -

The ruining of MSG’s reputation was not entirely the fault of journalists, however. There were many doctors in the 1960s and 1970s who believed in ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.’

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Fast forward -

In the 21st century, this thinking has been largely discredited and doctors tend to view MSG in a more unbiased way.

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MSG as a healthy alternative -

More recent studies have shown that glutamate plays a vital role in our metabolism, and some would even say MSG is healthier than added fat and sodium.

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Caveat -

At the same time, there is still research going into the harmful side effects of MSG, and some believe that it can be linked to obesity.

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Possible side effects -

It has also been suggested that MSG causes headaches, chest pains, and/or heart palpitations in a minority of people.

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All in all -

For the majority of consumers, however, it is thought that MSG is a safe way to increase the umami of a dish. As with anything, in moderation, of course.

Sources: (TED) (Mayo Clinic)

See also: Do you love or hate these polarizing foods?

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