What is MSG?

MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a processed food additive. It is an extremely dangerous neurotoxin (excitotoxin) that shrivels and kills brain cells in the hypothalamus and has been linked to migraines, seizures, ADD/ADHD, heart palpitations, tremors, and MANY other symptoms that can even be fatal. I know it was partly responsible for my constant daily headaches (for about 20 years) and the two years of migraines every day that led to a hospitalization, more drugs that did nothing but cause side effects and years of misery.

What is the hypothalamus?

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain, located just above the brain stem, roughly the size of an almond. Though small, it’s incredibly important as it is responsible for certain metabolic processes and other activities of the autonomic nervous system. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian cycles.

What is an excitotoxin?

An excitotoxin is a chemical that causes a brain cell to become overexcited and fire uncontrollably, leading to cell death. MSG (and other excitotoxins like asparatame) has the potential for inflicting permanent damage to the brain and nervous system. These chemicals also cross the placental barrier, harming the brains of unborn children.

Ok, so I should just avoid MSG and aspartame, right?

Absolutely. However, you need to know that there are over 40 hidden names for MSG on food labels. FORTY?!? Yes. 40! 4-0.

So, foods labeled NO-MSG or MSG-Free (think Chinese restaurants) may not have actual MSG added to it, but if they contain any of these ingredients, there is STILL MSG IN THE FOOD!

Here is more information from truthinlabeling.org
Names of ingredients that ALWAYS contain processed free glutamic acid:

Glutamic acid (E 620)
Glutamate (E 620)
Monosodium glutamate (E 621)
Monopotassium glutamate (E 622)
Calcium glutamate (E 623)
Monoammonium glutamate (E 624)
Magnesium glutamate (E 625)
Natrium glutamate
Yeast extract
Anything “hydrolyzed”
Any “hydrolyzed protein”
Calcium caseinate,  Sodium caseinate
Yeast food, Yeast nutrient
Autolyzed yeast
Gelatin
Textured protein
Soy protein, soy protein concentrate
Soy protein isolate
Whey protein, whey protein concentrate
Whey protein isolate
Anything “…protein”
Vetsin
Ajinomoto

*Glutamic acid found in unadulterated protein does not cause adverse reactions.  To cause adverse reactions, the glutamic acid must have been processed/manufactured or come from protein that has been fermented.

Names of ingredients that often contain or produce processed free glutamic acid:
Carrageenan (E 407)
Bouillon and broth
Stock
Any “flavors” or “flavoring”
Maltodextrin
Citric acid, Citrate (E 330)
Anything “ultra-pasteurized”
Barley malt
Pectin (E 440)
Protease
Anything “enzyme modified”
Anything containing “enzymes”
Malt extract
Soy sauce (a reader has informed us that Russell Blaylock, MD states in his book, Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, that soy sauce ALWAYS contains MSG)
Soy sauce extract
Anything “protein fortified”
Anything “fermented”
Seasonings

The following are ingredients suspected of containing or creating sufficient processed free glutamic acid to serve as MSG-reaction triggers in HIGHLY SENSITIVE people:

Corn starch
Corn syrup
Modified food starch
Lipolyzed butter fat
Dextrose
Rice syrup
Brown rice syrup
Milk powder
Reduced fat milk (skim; 1%; 2%)
Most things low fat or no fat
Anything “Enriched”
Anything Vitamin enriched

* E numbers are use in Europe in place of food additive names.

The following work synergistically with MSG to enhance flavor.  If they are present for flavoring, so is MSG.

Disodium 5’-guanylate (E 627)
Disodium 5’-inosinate (E-631)
Disodium 5′-ribonucleotides (E 635)

Low fat and no fat milk products often contain milk solids that contain MSG and many dairy products contain carrageenan, guar gum, and/or locust bean gum.  Low fat and no fat versions of ice cream and cheese may not be as obvious as yogurt, milk, cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc., but they are not exceptions.

Protein powders contain glutamic acid, which, invariably, will be processed free glutamic acid (MSG).  Individual amino acids are not always listed on labels of protein powders.

At present there is an FDA requirement to include the protein source when listing hydrolyzed protein products on labels of processed foods.  Examples are hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed pea protein, hydrolyzed whey protein, hydrolyzed corn protein. If a tomato, for example, were whole, it would be identified as a tomato. Calling an ingredient tomato protein indicates that the tomato has been hydrolyzed, at least in part, and that processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is present.

Disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate are relatively expensive food additives that work synergistically with inexpensive MSG. Their use suggests that the product has MSG in it. They would probably not be used as food additives if there were no MSG present.

MSG reactions have been reported from soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners, and cosmetics, where MSG is hidden in ingredients with names that include the words “hydrolyzed,” “amino acids,” and/or “protein.”  Most sun block creams and insect repellents also contain MSG.

Drinks, candy, and chewing gum are potential sources of hidden MSG and/or aspartame, neotame, and AminoSweet (the new name for aspartame). Aspartic acid, found in neotame, aspartame (NutraSweet), and AminoSweet, ordinarily causes MSG type reactions in MSG sensitive people. (It would appear that calling aspartame “AminoSweet” is industry’s method of choice for hiding aspartame.) We have not seen Neotame used widely in the United States.

Aspartame will be found in some medications, including children’s medications. For questions about the ingredients in pharmaceuticals, check with your pharmacist and/or read the product inserts for the names of “other” or “inert” ingredients.

Binders and fillers for medications, nutrients, and supplements, both prescription and non-prescription, enteral feeding materials, and some fluids administered intravenously in hospitals, may contain MSG.

According to the manufacturer, Varivax–Merck chicken pox vaccine (Varicella Virus Live), contains L-monosodium glutamate and hydrolyzed gelatin, both of which contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG) which causes brain lesions in young laboratory animals, and causes endocrine disturbances like OBESITY and REPRODUCTIVE disorders later in life.  It would appear that most, if not all, live virus vaccines contain some ingredient(s) that contains MSG.

Reactions to MSG are dose related, i.e., some people react to even very small amounts. MSG-induced reactions may occur immediately after ingestion or after as much as 48 hours.  The time lapse between ingestion and reaction is typically the same each time for a particular individual who ingests an amount of MSG that exceeds his or her individual tolerance level.

Here’s what Sally Fallon has to say about the health effects of MSG, in her fantastic piece, “Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry”:

While the industry was adding MSG to food in larger and larger amounts, in 1957 scientists found that mice became blind and obese when MSG was administered by feeding tube. In 1969, MSG-induced lesions were found in the hypothalamus region of the mouse brain. Subsequent studies pointed in the same direction. MSG is a neurotoxic substance that causes a wide range of reactions in humans, from temporary headaches to permanent brain damage. It is also associated with violent behavior. We have had a huge increase in Alzheimer’s, brain cancer, seizures, multiple sclerosis and diseases of the nervous system, and one of the chief culprits is the flavorings in our food.

Ninety-five percent of processed foods contain MSG, and, in the late 1950s, it was even added to baby food. Manufacturers say they have voluntarily taken it out of the baby food, but they didn’t really remove it; they just called it “hydrolyzed protein” instead.

An excellent book, Excitotoxins, by Russell Blaylock, describes how nerve cells either disintegrate or shrivel up in the presence of free glutamic acid if it gets past the blood-brain barrier. The glutamates in MSG are absorbed directly from the mouth to the brain. Some investigators believe that the great increase in violence in this country starting in 1960 is due to the increased use of MSG beginning in the late 1950s, particularly as it was added to baby foods.”

Remember: By food industry definition, all MSG is “naturally occurring.” “Natural” doesn’t mean “safe.”  “Natural” only means that the ingredient started out in nature, like arsenic and hydrochloric acid.

When you eat real, whole foods, you automatically avoid MSG, asparatme and other excitotoxins. No need to memorize the whole list of different food additives and E numbers, simply skip the processed junk and EAT REAL FOOD!

Sources:

http://www.realfoodwholehealth.com/2011/05/excitotoxins-msg-and-hidden-names/
http://www.msgmyth.com/
http://www.naturalnews.com/026973_MSG_food_foods.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/020550.html
http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2010/11/headaches-a-most-likely-cause/

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All Corn Syrup Contains MSG

Processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is deadly and it’s unlabeled in hundreds of foods. One of the tricks played by the food industry is the deceptive insertion of “no MSG added” on food labels. While there may be no “extra” MSG added, there is sufficient amounts through processing and hidden within many ingredients which cause havoc to our health. One those ingredients found in many foods is corn syrup.

What is MSG?

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is not a nutrient, vitamin, or mineral and has no health benefits. The part of MSG that negatively affects the human body is the “glutamate”, not the sodium. The breakdown of MSG typically consists of 78% glutamate, 12% sodium, and about 10% water. Any glutamate added to a processed food is not and can not be considered naturally occurring. Natural glutamate in plants and animals is known as L-glutamic acid.

In contrast, processed free glutamic acid (MSG) contains both L-glutamic acid and D-glutamic acid, and is also accompanied by pyroglutamic acid and other impurities. The impurities differ according to the starting materials and methods used to produce the glutamic acid (MSG). It is only acid hydrolyzed proteins that contain mono and dichloro propanols (which are carcinogenic), and it is only reaction flavors that contain heterocyclic amines (which are also carcinogenic).

By FDA definition, processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is “naturally occurring,” because the basic ingredients are found in nature. “Naturally occurring” does not mean that a food additive is being used in its natural state. “Naturally occurring” only means that the food additive began with something found in nature. By FDA definition, the ingredient “monosodium glutamate” is natural. So is hydrochloric acid. So is arsenic. “Natural”, especially in our beloved food industry, doesn’t mean “safe.”

Processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is created when protein is either partially or fully broken apart into its constituent amino acids, or glutamic acid is secreted from selected bacteria. A protein can be broken into its constituent amino acids in a number of ways (autolysis, hydrolysis, enzymolysis, and/or fermentation). When a protein is broken down, the amino acid chains in the protein are broken, and individual amino acids are freed. These processes are discussed in some detail in food encyclopedias — wherein articles on glutamic acid and “monosodium glutamate” are generally written by persons who work for Ajinomoto, Co., Inc., the world’s largest producer of the food ingredient “monosodium glutamate.”

It used to be that when any ingredient contained 78%-79% processed free glutamic acid (MSG), and the balance was made up of salt, moisture, and up to 1 per cent impurities, the FDA required that the product be called “monosodium glutamate”, and required that the product be labeled as such. The FDA required that other MSG-containing ingredients be identified by names other than “monosodium glutamate.” Never has the FDA required mention of the fact that an ingredient contains processed free glutamic acid (MSG).

While the glutamic acid in “monosodium glutamate” is generally produced through bacterial fermentation, the glutamic acid in the other MSG-containing ingredients is made through use of chemicals (hydrolysis or autolysis), enzymes (enzymolysis), fermentation, or a complex cooking process wherein reaction flavors are produced from a combination of specific amino acids, reducing sugars, animal or vegetable fats or oils, and optional ingredients including hydrolyzed vegetable protein.

It is now essentially unregulated when it comes to labeling standards. A label may say “yeast extract”, “calcium caseinate”, or “beef flavoring”, but the product still contains varying amounts of “free” glutamic acid. This makes it very difficult for consumers who are trying to avoid it. It is also very dangerous for those who suffer severe reactions to it. Many people who are very sensitive to MSG experience respiratory, neurological, muscular, skin, urological and even cardiac symptoms.

Some of the common ingredients which contain MSG are: Plant Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Textured Protein, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Autolyzed Plant Protein, Yeast Extract, Calcium Caseinate, Sodium Caseinate, Gelatin, Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Carrageenan, Xanthum Gum, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavor, Barley Malt, Malt Extract, Soy Protein Isolate, Ultra-pasteurized Soy Sauce, Whey Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, Protease Enzymes, Protein Fortified anything, Enzyme Modified anything and Citric Acid.

MSG in Corn Syrup 

All corn syrup contains some processed free glutamic acid (MSG). In producing corn syrup, producers do not take the time nor undertake the expense to remove all proteins. The remaining protein is broken down during production, resulting in processed free glutamic acid. The final product would also contain free aspartic acid, free phenylalanine, and the free form of the other amino acids found in corn protein.

“There is no corn syrup without free glutamic acid present, it doesn’t exist,” said food scientist Mae Geraldine. “It is a byproduct of processing and the expense to remove it would exceed production costs.”

High fructose corn syrup may be worse for an MSG-sensitive person than is plain corn syrup because an enzyme is added to high fructose corn syrup, further breaking down any protein that may be present.

A study published in Genes & Nutrition suggests that eating high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may boost risk of various liver diseases such as adiposity, hepatic steatosis, hepatic fibrosis and liver damage like cirrhosis.

Previous studies show that a variety of dietary components such as fat, sugars, and neonatal treatment with MSG contribute to the development of liver disease. Exposure to HFCS promoted hepatic fibrosis and markers of liver dysfunction

MSG within corn syrup can cause harmful effects on the function of hypothalamus-pituitary-target gland system. It leads to erosive and ulcerative lesions of the gastric mucosa and an increased secretion of hydrochloric acid and an increased body weight.

Cycle of MSG leading to Obesity:

1. MSG is eaten.
2. Cells in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus that produce dopamine and regulate appetite are destroyed.
3. Hypothalamus becomes leptin-resistant
4. Glutamate activates AMPK, which slows metabolism AND desire for physical activity (“lazy mice”).
5. The fat cells release leptin to stop AMPK, but the hypothalamus ignores the signal.
6. Appetite stays high, activity is depressed. Calorie intake goes up, calories expended by metabolism go down, calories expended in activity go down.
7. MSG although it is an amino acid, signals the pancreas to release insulin
8. Insulin drops our blood sugar – causing increased hunger at the same time it packs away excess calories as fat
9. Obesity

Source: http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/07/18/all-corn-syrup-contains-msg/

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