Is MSG Really Bad For You?

Few things have been demonized in the nutrition world as much as monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer used in processed foods such as canned soup, packaged snacks, or your favorite Chinese takeout. But how bad is it for you, really?

A video made by the American Chemistry Society, a professional society for chemists, explains that the case against MSG is mostly hype. And Men's Health nutrition advisor Mike Roussell, Ph.D., agrees. "The science behind our fears just doesn't hold up," he says.

Monosodium glutamate is just salt combined with glutamate. Salt is essential to health. Your body can't make it, and your cells need it to function. And glutamate is a naturally occurring amino acid that makes foods like soy sauce, aged cheese, and beef so tasty, Roussell says. So when you eat MSG, it's broken back down into salt and glutamate, he says.



"We wouldn't shun a restaurant for serving a grilled strip steak rubbed with powdered mushrooms and topped with blue cheese," says Roussell. "But the chemical compound that gives this meal its incredible flavor—glutamate—is the same compound in MSG."

Past studies that associated the flavor enhancer with obesity, weight gain, headaches, or muscle soreness either relied on research done on animals or didn't show a clear cause-and-effect, he says. For example, study participants might have been obese because they ate too much junk food, not because they ate too much MSG.

As with any food, some people might be more sensitive than others. If you suspect you're one of those people, limit portions at the Chinese buffet and check processed food labels for monosodium glutamate.

The verdict: Until research proves otherwise, MSG is perfectly fine for most healthy people in moderation, Roussell says.
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Article Source: http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/is-msg-bad-for-you