Is MSG Bad For You?

First off- what is MSG? Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that’s been around since the early 1900s and is commonly used in restaurant dishes, canned vegetables, soups and many other foods. It is a sodium salt of the glutamic acid which is naturally present in our bodies, as well as many common foods. MSG is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as it is “generally recognized as safe “ (GRAS) so why do food companies and restaurants tend to display when MSG is an added ingredient in their recipe? 

When we see NON-GMO or Gluten-Free then we associate it as being healthy or good for us and the same is true for “NO MSG ADDED”. But why? Personally, I grew up eating MSG in almost every meal being raised in a Cambodian household and the flavors were always on point so I understand why it was a staple ingredient in our home. However, it is concerning to me when MSG is shed in a negative light so I decided to dig a little deeper.

The FDA requires MSG to be listed on the label if it’s been added to foods after they had receive numerous complaints from people who ingested food with MSG and had the following symptoms: headache, flushing, sweating, numbness, tightness, rapid heartbeats, chest pain or nausea also known as the “MSG Symptom Complex”. 

Now personally, I can say I never experienced any of the mentioned symptoms after ingesting foods with MSG practically my entire life but maybe that’s just me. Well actually, it isn’t just me because there has been research performed on this correlation between msg intake and the symptoms but researchers have found no direct link between the two. However, it is possible to have a short-term reaction to MSG but if that is the case for you, simply don’t eat it or avoid foods with it. 

Typically when I add MSG in my recipe, I will omit the use of salt altogether. The sodium level in MSG is 12% which is actually 2/3 less than what is found in table salt. So isn’t that a good thing? Especially when there isn’t a taste trade off and MSG actually provides a savory flavor? So if you are someone who has to watch your blood pressure and limit sodium intake then you would think MSG is the better option. But again- if you have ingested MSG and had a negative effect then AVOID IT. As for me, I’ve been perfectly fine so I will continue to use MSG in place of salt.