Taste that kills...why you should ditch the stock cubes

There is a Dr called Robert Kwok who had emigrated from China to the US,  he was the first person who identified the first reactions to MSG in 1968. He reported that within 20 minutes of having meal at a Chinese restaurant, he suffered from numbness, tingling, and tightness of the chest that stayed there for about two hours. This collection of symptoms got popular by the name of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.

Research was then carried out in the US, which found that high amount of MSG flavor enhancers in food result into the same reaction in almost everyone. The following are other symptoms associated with MSG

• Burning, facial pressure and chest pain
• Migraine headache
• Gastric distress suspected heart attack - typically, pain in the chest, tingling and numbness from the chest down the left arm and a feeling of impending doom.
• Asthma
• Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms
• Obesity, people who use MSG flavor enhancer in their food more often are more likely to be overweight or obese

Children are more vulnerable to MSG dangers than adults.

If you take MSG flavor enhancer in small quantities occasionally, you might not be in the danger zone for MSG side effects. However, if you take it in higher doses or are sensitive than other people or give your children this flavor enhancer, you might want to change your habits considering the MSG  effects. Here is the list of common food that contain MSG flavor enhancers for your help.Also remember that not all manufactures put all the ingredients on the packaging, but unless it says no added MSG just know that its there.

• Sauces, gravies and stocks even if they read natural
• Processed meat, fish, tomato or vegetable pastes or sauces
• Stock cubes, pastes and powders
• Soy sauce, soy paste, soy protein, miso, tempeh
• MSG seasoning powders like gourmet powder, Chinese seasoning, ajinomoto, & seasoned salt with flavor enhancers
• Potato crisps or chips
• Ready to eat meals
• Soup powders and canned soups

Another study found MSG effects to cause retinal damage in newborn mice, rats and chicks, pregnant mothers stay clear of this stuff.