Controversial discussion and vague understandings over the safety and knowledge of this sodium by-product, formerly known as Monosodium Glutamate or MSG has impacted the public through various media outlets.  From local television, to the newspaper, to research studies, and potential restaurant menu options have posed awareness of MSG and its health hazard qualifications.  This, in itself, has either puzzled the public with a downright reality check on what he/she is consuming, or the cynical and nonchalant, careless attitude gets the best of them and denial procurement continues.  This chemical is found in many processed foods, restaurant foods (such as McDonald’s and Chinese), and other grocery market snacks and soups that have been blinding the American public by its seemingly odd promulgations among other secretive labels on the ingredient list which is typically overlooked.  So, what exactly is MSG?  Where did it come from?  Is it safe enough for the human body to ingest?

As mentioned above, Monosodium Glutamate is a tasteless, sodium salt derivative of a natural form of amino acid called glutamate.  This may sound as if there shouldn’t be any real concerns because MSG’s derivation comes from a natural source, right?  Wrong!  According to Dr. Russel Blaylock, in his book, Excitotoxins, MSG is found to be an excitotoxin which is a substance that over stimulates human neurons in the brain that eventually lead to cell damage and even cell obliteration (death).  During the year of 1907 a Japanese food chemist named Kikunae Ikeda discovered and developed the umami flavor enhancer from seaweed sources.  As the years progressed MSG has been a chemically altered and insufficient spice that has been changed drastically by man into his own concoction.

Monosodium Glutamate has taken the form of other identities on the ingredient list, if listed at all.  Some of the names of ingredients to look for that allegedly contains MSG are natural flavor, gelatin, yeast food, maltodextrin, hydrolyzed protein, soy sauce, malt extract, citric acid, and soy proteins.  These are just a few of the identities MSG takes the form of to dupe the public into thinking the food he/she is purchasing or consuming is MSG free.  So, at one point or another, we have all succumbed to this toxic ingredient at one point or another in our lives.

Not only is MSG known for its presumably common symptoms such as sleepiness, stomach aches and headaches, but it has been linked to other, more severe forms of health hazards. MSG has been linked to our country’s rise in obesity, neurological and functional issues within the hypothalamus, emotional and anger problems, anaphylactic shock (allergic shock), reproductive and sexual problems, among other possible degenerative diseases and ailments over time. In various lab tests when mice were exposed to moderate levels of MSG, the animals developed abnormally into a short stature, grew quite obese, and had problems with sexual reproduction. Now, if this is occurring to the mice during a lab experiment over the span of a few weeks to months, what is MSG going to do to the human body over years of adequate to moderate amount of consumption?

So, ladies and gentleman, please do the research and avoid this addictive, food poison that is in our foods today.  Ingesting over time only trace amounts of this toxin known as MSG isn’t beneficial and has proven its otherwise, hazardous effects to our health.  Try to avoid it at all costs and avoid processed foods.  Start by purchasing whole foods such as vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, fish, salmon, chicken, and other grains.  Taste and flavor are important with the commodity of food pleasures on top of enjoying a sultry meal.  But, try cooking at home more often using a suggested combination organic sea salt from the earth along with a hint of garlic, onion, and black pepper.  This will enhance the flavor in a healthy way opposed to MSG.  We must bring it back to the basics of what nature intended and avoid man-made evil distortions of our food coagulated with addictive, poisonous chemicals.