MSG good, bad or otherwise

Mark

This may be opening a can of worms but I would like some opinion's on the use of MSG. For the record I consider it to be "fake flavoring".[p]Mark

Elder Ward

Mark,[p]Not needed in my opinion. Makes meat mushy.[p]Elder Ward

Dr. Chicken

Mark,
MSG is a chemical preservative in the true sense of the word. You find it most frequently in chinese foods. It can cause some people some big problems. I love chinese food, but I have to be very careful about where we eat at. The MSG can cause heart problems and breathing problems (as in my case) to individuals with a sensitivity to the product.
Check it out, ask a dietician about it.[p]Dr. Chicken

Mary

Mark,
I avoid it like the plague, don't care whether the FDA says it safe or not. If I get a healthy dose of it, I'll be completly out of commission for at least 4 hours with a severe headache, dizziness, jitters, a queasy stomach, and my face gets very flushed. I haven't actually measured, but I suspect my blood pressure is very high too. For me, it's pure poisen.[p]Mary

Gfw

After the previous posts, I guess I should feel lucky - neither I nor anyone else in my family seems to have a problem with it - love Chinese food.

djm5x9

Mark:[p]The stuff is poison. There are better, natural tenderizers that can be used.[p]If it has MSG in it, I do not purchase it. I am starting to see a lot of seasonings that advertise they contain no MSG.[p]Regarding Chinese food, you just have to know where you are eating. Many Asian restaurants realize the down side to MSG and are eliminating this as a tenderizing agent.[p]

Frozen Chosen

Mark, Definately a can of worms. There is much in the way of histeria and anecdotal info on MSG riding the net, and there seems to be (I admit not much research on my part)little true, peer-reviewed science supporting claims of harm and ill effects. Personally, I think it does make some foods taste better, as does salt. There are many people who do not use salt, so be it. Luckily, most barbeque seems just fine wihtout MSG, so we shouldn't spend too much time worrying.

JimW

Mark,
I think MSG is just a holdover from the 40's and 50's when people didn't have access to the great cuts of meat we can get. I does in fact cause some bad reactions occasionally. I haven't used it in over 30 years. It's just superfluous these days.