Monosodic glutamate, often abbreviated to MSG (from the English Monosodium glutamate), is one of the best known and controversial food additives in the modern world. Associated with ready dishes, fast food and oriental kitchens, it has often been peeled as responsible for several very common disorders, such as headache, nausea and even neurological problems.
How true of these accusations is there? And what do scientific studies really say?
Let’s see clarity.
What is glutamate?
Glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, a non -essential amino acid naturally present in many foods, such as aged cheeses, tomatoes, mushrooms and meat. In the human body, glutamic acid plays an important role as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. The free glutamate (what gives flavor) is also responsible for the perception of human, the so -called “fifth taste” together with sweet, salty, acid and bitter.
The monosodic glutamate has been industrially produced for over a century, initially in Japan, where it was isolated for the first time in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda, a chemist who studied the typical flavor of Kombu algae broth. Today it is produced for bacterial fermentation, a process similar to that used for yogurt and citric acid.
Where is it
The MSG is added to many of industrial food products: instant soups, broth dice, savory snacks, frozen foods and fast food prepared. It is also used in some ethnic kitchens, in particular asian, to enhance the flavor of the dishes.
However, we must remember, as already highlighted, that many natural foods also contain glutamate in free form, without any artificial addition: long -seasoning cheeses (such as the Parmigiano Reggiano), ripe tomatoes, soy sauce, anchovies, and shiitake mushrooms are among the most famous examples.
The “Chinese restaurant complex”: origin of a myth
The worries about the security of glutamate emerged especially in the 1960s, when the American doctor Robert Ho Man Kwok wrote a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine – the fact dates back to 1968 – reporting symptoms such as palpitations and weakness after eating in Chinese restaurants. Since then, the phenomenon was labeled by the media as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, associating the use of MSG with vague and subjective side effects.
In the face of a huge media eco, numerous clinical studies conducted in double blind and with placebo – therefore with a decidedly rigorous methodology – have not found a clear association between MSG and the symptoms described. One of the most cited is the study published in 2000 on the Journal of Nutrition, which concluded that most people do not react negatively to glutamate when taken in normal quantities. Only a small percentage of sensitive subjects could manifest mild effects, but only in high doses, well higher than those normally present in the diet.
What the health authorities say
The most important food control agencies globally examined the safety of glutamate, expressing themselves in this way:
Is there really a glutamate sensitivity?
It is possible that some people are sensitive to MSG, even if this condition seems to be rare and still not very defined from a clinical point of view. In some studies, symptoms such as headaches or a sense of thoracic pressure have been reported only when glutamate was taken in very high doses and empty stomach. The placebo effect often plays an important role, especially in contexts where consumer expectations influence the perception of symptoms.
Furthermore, it is worth emphasizing that in many cases there is a tendency to blame the glutamate for effects that derive from meals particularly rich in fat, sodium, alcohol or spices, instead of a single additive.
Better to avoid it?
There is no convincing evidence that indicate that the monosodic glutamate does “bad” to health, if taken in moderation. However, as for any substance, excessive consumption – especially within a unbalanced diet, poor in fresh foods – can be indicative of not exactly optimal food choices.
Another noteworthy question concerns the distinction between glutamate as a molecule and the food context in which it is located: a broth prepared with natural ingredients, even if rich in natural glutamate, will probably be more healthy than a packaged and sodium load, preservatives and artificial aromas.
To conclude
Glutamate is a safe additive according to the main global health authorities, and most people can consume it without side effects. The fears that arose around its presence in foods seem more linked to cultural myths and disinformation than to solid scientific evidence. As always, the key is the balance: a varied diet, rich in natural and not very processed foods, is the best guarantee of health, beyond a single ingredient.
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