Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a white crystalline compound (powder) that is added to food and beverages to enhance the flavor. MSG is most famous in the United States for its widespread use in Chinese Restaurants. As it has gained poor publicity in recent years however, some restaurants have stopped using it and even post “NO MSG” signs in their windows. It can also be found, usually listed by its full name monosodium glutamate, in many foods that people consume every day including chips and snacks, especially with orange color or cheese flavor, soup broths (i.e. boullion, stock etc.), cookies, sauces (e.g. soy sauce), lunch meats, seasonings and almost any other heavily processed foods.

MSG is a food additive that is considered an excitotoxin, which is defined by Biology-Online.org as a “class of substances that damage neurons through paroxysmal overactivity. They are toxins that bind to certain receptors (e.g., certain glutamate receptors) and may cause neuronal cell death.” Glutamate has been found in various instances to destroy neurons and even cause seizure activity. This also may begin to affect nerve impulses stimulating the pancreas to secrete excess insulin. Other adverse reactions which are more common include dizziness, headache, racing heart, nausea and sweating.

Other substances that may be related to, substituted for or react similarily to MSG are listed below.

• Autolyzed yeast
• Barley Malt
• Calcium caseinate
• Carrageenan
• Enzyme-modified substances
• Gelatin
• Glutamate
• Glutamic acid
• Hydrolyzed corn gluten
• Any hydrolyzed protein
• Malt Extract
• Malt flavoring
• Maltodextrin
• Monopotassium glutamate
• Natrium glutamate
• “Natural flavors” and flavorings
• Pectin
• Protein-fortified substances
• Sodium caseinate
• Sodium glutamate
• Soy protein
• Soy protein isolate or concentrate
• Soy sauce extract
• Textured protein
• Vegetable gum
• Whey protein
• Yeast extract
• Yeast food
• Yeast nutrient

There are many opportunities to ingest toxic chemicals in our modern society. As a result, the simple solution is just to prepare your own foods at home using natural and organic ingredients. Many have heard us preach and 80/20 rule for eating in which you eat really well 80 percent of the time so that you can allow yourself 20% cusion for when you are out or cannot cook. Of course it would be ideal to eat healthy all the time, but do your best and you will be doing yourself a service. For more information on this you can check out our series of articles on Organic Eating.

You can also check out Russell Blaylock’s book “Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills”

Sources
http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Excitotoxin