I tried to remove as much salt as I could from my diet about 15 years ago. I cook most meals from scratch, hate tvdinners. But I have found myself needing to use a pinch of salt to make things taste a bit better, commonly rice and pasta.

I came across an article talking about a mystery flavour enhancer in the KFC recipe, an asian additive in general that we don't use in the West much: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wor...recipe-revealed

So I went to a local chinese store and bought a pack of MSG, being warned by the owner to only use tiny amounts as it was toxic in large amounts. I use a pinch in my cooking and it is pretty much replacing the need for salt. For rice and pasta at least. When it comes to sauces for foods I am finding some work with it, some don't and get ruined.

A while back I heard dark soy sauce was the item in chinese meals that causes headaches, this is because of MSG in it? Also arguments over whether MSG is safe or not flow back and forth over time saying it is safe/not safe. Currently it is supposed to be safe.

I don't get heartburn anymore as removed salt from my diet. I don't notice many headaches. I don't suffer any unexplainable ill health issues. My prepared food tends to taste good. I am tending to go along with the thought this stuff is useful for cooking!

MSG is GRAS, generally recognized as safe
Why replace salt with MSG? It's not like salt is worse for you. A pinch of salt isn't going to be bad for you. Your body needs salt to function.
Try drinking more water instead of totally replacing salt.

never heard of MSG

Monosodium glutamate.

"FDA concluded that MSG was safe for most people when "eaten at customary levels."



but "In the 2004 version of his book, On Food and Cooking, food scientist Harold McGee states that "[after many studies], toxicologists have concluded that MSG is a harmless ingredient for most people, even in large amounts."
nice ...even in large amounts?


my fav msg ajinomoto makes everything better!

Monosodium glutamate has exactly the same element in it that is the problem with excess salt ----- SODIUM! If you are reducing salt on doctors orders, you better consult with the doc about the MSG too. Its the sodium that raises blood pressure and causes fluid retention. So you haven't really cut back on the culprit. You have only switched the form, except that you are probably using less MSG than salt because you aren't sitting with it in a shaker next to your plate. The reprieve from heartburn has nothing to do with reduction of salt either, unless you were consuming whole teaspoons of it in one sitting. You have more likely improved your cooking or consumption habits in other, less obvious way. Congratulations on that.

And while Americans tend to associate high use of MSG with Chinese food, until a FDA warning years ago, American food was just as laden with it. Accent (100% pure MSG) is still on the shelf and selling well in every American grocery store.

The main problem with MSG is that some people are highly sensitive to it, which you don't seem to be (and neither am I). but I have two friends that have to be extremely careful about it because it will trigger epileptic seizures for them. That's extremely rare, but since its an additive that really isn't usually necessary for food to taste good, its worrisome when its use is undisclosed or excessive.

MSG occurs naturally in fish, tomato etc...

Those against MSG say that manufactured MSG as apposed to natural MSG has defective-MSG that are chemically different. This is what they say is bad for you.

No, MSG does not make me sick. it never had. It taste really good with fried squid

msg made in japan or france or any others countries are safe to eat, except the one made in china!!

Good for you. I don't have any problem, either although I knew one of my friends who was severely affected and had to be ended up in the emergency room.

if i have too much, like in ramen broth, then it makes me sick -- very thirsty especially, and tired

Its not proven to make you sick or ill. Its one of the most commonly used ingredients in America's favorite food, FASTFOOD. Its ironic that eating places have to put "no msg" just to have customers believe the food is healthier than foods cooked with MSG it makes no difference health conscience-wise.

MSG kills brain cells and it's highly addictive. many asian foods use it so it's generally a good idea to check the labels or try to detect it's presence. i realized it's become more common in america though (not sure about the rest of the world). like KFC, most flavoury chips and salty foods. becaus eit's so prevalent i generally try to cook my own food and try not to be too dependent on certain types of food. i actually tried to figure out a way to eat ramen (infamous for the msg soup base) without using the soup base. anyway, u guys be careful cuz it can also cause cancer too.

I try not to eat foods high in MSG, it makes me have a headache all day long, also causes drowsiness [sleepy] tired feeling, less alert

one time after eating too much DIM SUM I almost fell asleep while driving because of the MSG

certain dishes are high in MSG:

DIM SUM dishes use lots of MSG , they add it to enhance the flavor so you buy more

chow mein if the cook adds too much while cooking it, they often add too much because they just throw it in while they make it, without measuring and sometimes put too much.

Vietnamese PHO broth has lots of MSG

Chinese Roast Pig, Roast Duck, etc

that sounds really sloppy these cooks.