MSG- The addiction you never knew you had !

http://eyesonthelies.com/2009/01/14/monoso...r-knew-you-had/


Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) - The Addiction You Never Knew You Had

by MoreRockin on Jan.14, 2009, under Health

Associated Content
Marry Moss

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly used in foods we eat every day. MSG has been used for close to one hundred years to enhance the flavor of foods. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) classified MSG as a food ingredient and has deemed it “generally recognized as safe.” Glutamate is a natural substance that is found in meat, vegetables, poultry and milk. The human body also produces glutamate naturally. Glutamate in the body plays an important role in normal functioning of the nervous system

How Does Monosodium Glutamate Act In The Body?

Some of us may have thought Monosodium Glutamate is a preservative or contains some nutritional value. The truth is it does nothing to food aside from enhancing the flavor. In fact, MSG is an “excitotoxin” or neurotoxin that has a degenerative effect on the brain and nervous system.

Monosodium Glutamate enters the brain through membranes in the mouth and enters the bloodstream as foods containing MSG are digested. MSG is created artificially using processes that break down and change natural-bound glutamate, which the body produces, into free forms of glutamate. These free glutamates can sometimes enter the bloodstream up to 10 times faster than bound or natural glutamates.

Over the last fifty years, food processors have steady increased the amount of MSG added to foods. One of the primary and most consistent effects of MSG and other excitotoxins is triggering “an insulin/adrenalin/fat storage/food craving response.” That response is what causes the, “I’m hungry again an hour after I eat Chinese food,” quandary. It is also why some of us crave potato chips and other snack foods that contain monosodium glutamate, even though we’re full.

What Are the Effects of Monosodium Glutamate on the Body?

In a report, “Sensory And Autonomic Nerve Changes In The Msg-Treated Rat : A Model Of Type II Diabetes” by Morrison JF, Shehab S, Sheen R, Dhanasekaran S, Shaffiullah M, Mensah-Brown E At UAE University, we learn, “There was also a significant increase in adrenal adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, largely attributable to changes of weight of the adrenal gland in the MSG animals. 5. The results indicate that MSG-treated animals develop a form of Type II diabetes by about 60 weeks of age.”

America is experiencing an obesity epidemic! If rats become obese through consumption of unnatural amounts of monosodium glutamate, it’s not a big leap to attribute the same response in the human body. The fact of the matter is, MSG causes us to crave the foods processed with MSG-and a majority of processed and prepackaged foods now contain monosodium glutamate. In fact, monosodium glutamate is a crucial ingredient in low-fat and non-fat foods since much of the natural flavors are lost when oil extracted.

One characteristic of the obesity induced by excitotoxins is that it doesn’t appear to depend on food intake. This could explain why some people cannot diet away their obesity,” according to Dr. Russell L. Blaylock in his book Excitotoxins.

What Foods Contain MSG?

The average person eats much more glutamate than what is considered to be a safe and normal amount in the typical American diet. You may not see Monosodium glutamate or MSG on the list of ingredients in many of the foods you buy. That’s because the food industry has figured out other names for monosodium glutamate! Beware! When these words appear on the label, the food product contains MSG: monopotassium glutamate, hydrolyzed plant protein, yeast extract, autolyzed plant protein, glutamic acid, sodium caseinate, autolyzed yeast, textured protein, gelatin, calcium caseinate. Even some so-called natural or healthy foods contain monosodium glutamate labeled as yeast extract.

Foods that often contain MSG or create MSG during processing will be listed as: natural pork flavoring, bouillon, natural beef flavoring, whey protein concentrate, whey protein, whey protein isolate, maltodextrin, ultra-pasteurized, barley malt, protease, protease enzymes, soy sauce, soy protein, anything protein fortified, natural flavor(s), seasonings.

The pharmaceutical industry also uses MSG, and sugar, to improve the taste of some otherwise bitter drugs. Monosodium glutamate was used in powdered baby formula until the 1960’s when it was determined MSG had detrimental neurological impact on the brain of infants.

What Are the Symptoms of MSG Allergy or Sensitivity?

Often MSG reactivity is called the “Chinese Food Syndrome” because of the physical symptoms that some people often experience after eating Chinese food. Some of the most common symptoms of MSG sensitivity or allergy include headache, sometimes called MSG headache, flushing, numbness or tingling in or around the mouth, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, muscle tightening, or lightheadedness, migraines and even mood changes.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Monosodium Glutamate Consumption?

Studies have been somewhat inconclusive, though many in the scientific community believe that some neurological orders and behavioral issues may be caused by monosodium glutamate. Attention deficit disorder, anxiety attacks, neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, MS, Parkinson’s and even autism may be caused by or intensified by severe allergy or sensitivity to monosodium glutamate.

The only way to ensure limited consumption of monosodium glutamate is to eat food that is not highly-processed or prepackaged, avoid Chinese foods, and foods that contain any of the ingredients provided in this article. Eat foods that are as close to their source as possible. Learn to use spices and creatively combine foods to achieve full-flavored, satisfying meals.