Health
The Poison that is MSG!
Feb
Are you thinking of giving the kids instant noodles in their school tiffin tomorrow? Chances are you are serving your family and yourself a tiny dose of poison that can cause a variety of ailments. This poison is called “Monosodium Glutamate” (MSG). Monosodium Glutamate is a widely used flavor enhancer in a variety of products such as instant noodles, soups, etc., canned food, processed food snacks like chips, wafers, etc.
What are the harmful effects of MSG?
The harmful effects of MSG have led to the coining of the term – MSG System Complex by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which include symptoms such as:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Chest pain or difficulty in breathing
- Elevated Heart Rate
- Weakness
- Drowsiness
- Numbness
Further research has linked a variety of adverse effects, such as:
- Fatigue
- Obesity
- Depression
- Damage to the eyes etc.
Most recently, Dr. Russell Blaylock, who is a neurosurgeon and the author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, has linked MSG to the destruction of brain cells that can cause a variety of neurological problems such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
Even the FDA acknowledges that the abnormal function of the glutamate receptors has been linked to several neurological diseases.
Can You Avoid MSG?
The answer is yes! Doctors and nutritionists suggest the best way to eliminate the dangers of MSG from your life is to cook for yourself! If you keep your intake of processed foods to a minimum, you have a good chance of avoiding MSG altogether.
The tricky part is that MSG can be present in foods under a number of names such as yeast extract, hydrolyzed protein, glutamate, etc.
What you can do is make sure you carefully read the labels and ensure they don’t contain any ingredients that seem to be chemical additives.
It will undoubtedly be tough to explain it to your children the dangers of instant noodles or the chips that they love and have been eating for so long.
But it is a conscious and healthy decision that will yield long-term health dividends.
