All About Health Food Stores
Peanuts contain lots of protein and are really nutritious. But nutritious or not, if you are intolerant to peanuts, you don't want to eat them. So it is with MSG. If ingesting MSG is problematic for you, chances are you want to avoid it.
Before we get into specifics, there are details that are important to understand:
When we use the acronym "MSG," we are referring to free glutamic acid that is the result of a process called "bacterial fermentation," or has been released from protein through a manufacturing process or through fermentation. MSG will be found in ingredients including, but not limited to, hydrolyzed protein products, autolyzed yeast, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, textured vegetable protein, gelatin, ultra pasteurized products, and monosodium glutamate. The MSG in any of these, or any other products, will cause adverse reactions in people who ingest amounts that exceed their individual tolerances for MSG. There is no evidence, nor to our knowledge has there ever been a suggestion that glutamic acid found in intact protein will cause brain lesions or any adverse effects.Health food stores are mine fields for MSG. These are the names of MSG-containing ingredients you'll see there most often:Based on epidemiological studies done in the 1970s, 25% to 30% of the US population experience adverse reactions from MSG. Today, with the ever increasing use of MSG in processed foods, we estimate that at least 40% of the U.S. population is sensitive to MSG.
amino acids (they almost invariably contain glutamic acid)Then there are the chelates. Minerals, found individually and in some multi-vitamins, are usually joined to amino acids for better absorption. The following are chelates that will contain MSG and/or its toxic cousin aspartame:
autolyzed yeast
glutamate
glutamic acid
hydrolyzed protein
monopotassium glutamate
monosodium glutamate
protein
whey protein concentrate
amino acid chelate (chelated with amino acids)Protein powders are all the rage for body builders and older people. The main ingredient is typically a hydrolyzed protein, and hydrolyzed proteins contain MSG, excitotoxic aspartic acid (found also in aspartame), and excitotoxic L-cysteine (found in some dough conditioners). We have concern for anyone who ingests any form of MSG in his or her diet. We have increased concern for athletes who ingest MSG just prior to, or in the course of vigorous exercise, because there is evidence that the adverse effects of MSG may be intensified by vigorous exercise. Heart irregularities are known to sometimes be caused by ingestion of MSG and/or aspartame, and heart irregularities can result in cardiac arrest..
potassium (or any other mineral ) citrate
potassium (or any other mineral) aspartate
potassium (or any other mineral) glutamate
chelated with hydrolyzed protein,
chelated with protein
chelated with amino acids(Some supplement manufacturers have placed asterisks after the names of minerals. Below the list of ingredients, the asterisk is defined to state that the mineral is "chelated with hydrolyzed protein," "chelated with protein," or "chelated with amino acids.")
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TRUTH IN LABELING CAMPAIGN 850 DeWitt Place, Suite 20B, Chicago, IL 60611 |
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IF MSG ISN'T HARMFUL, WHY IS IT HIDDEN?