10 Myths About MSG You Need To Stop Believing

Monosodium glutamate, more commonly referred to as MSG, has had a bad reputation amongst the masses for ages. You may be surprised to know that as per the FDA, most Americans eat an estimated average of 0.55 grams of MSG every single day. So, chances are that, unknowingly, you too may be consuming some MSG daily. However, despite it being so pervasive in many food items, there are plenty of widely believed myths about MSG that simply aren't true. A few of these myths are also a bit bizarre, as some think that MSG contains gluten, while some others buy the idea that MSG packs an alarming amount of sodium, making it unfit for consumption.   

But, think about it — if any of these myths circulating about MSG were true, would it be manufactured and distributed in such large volumes? Probably not! MSG is actually purposefully added to food by many restaurants, large and small scale food manufacturing companies, and even a few home cooks as its rich umami flavor can make anything taste more palatable, even things you may have never imagined. Like, did you know you could sprinkle a pinch of MSG into your oatmeal or add MSG to your cocktails to make them taste even better? Fascinating, right? So, if you've also unfortunately believed certain myths about MSG so far and want to unlearn them to enjoy food with the additive without fear, we are here to help you with exactly that. So, let's begin debunking.

It's likely that you've believed MSG to be exceptionally bad for health. But, is MSG actually unhealthy? You'll be flabbergasted to know that science says otherwise, and MSG being bad for health is indeed a myth. The rumor that it is bad for health came about from a claim made in the 1960s by a Chinese-American doctor, who had felt ill after eating at a Chinese restaurant. He proposed that, since MSG is often added to Chinese food, it may have been the ingredient that caused his illness. However, a study published in the journal Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety in 2020 confirmed that claims about MSG having certain adverse effects on health aren't completely accurate, and it isn't bad in any way, as long as it is consumed in moderation.

Since a minuscule amount of MSG is added to most food items, going overboard with this additive is very unlikely. Plus, the FDA now classifies food with added MSG as "generally recognized as safe." So, there's no reason to worry about MSG having adverse effects on your health, unless you consume heaps of it, which will probably never happen. Back in the day though, the claim by the doctor also unfortunately led to some studies being carried out on MSG, which too mentioned that consuming it is indeed bad for health, making the myth even more persistent for a long time. But luckily, the 2020 study has explicitly stated that they need to do some more research to prove the same.

Pregnant individuals are always extra careful about what they eat, as they should be, since they are creating a new life after all. However, it's worth noting that although being vigilant is the way to go when pregnant, some people also tend to believe certain pregnancy food myths that aren't really true. One of these widely believed myths is that pregnant individuals should avoid MSG at all costs, as it can be harmful for their developing fetus. While MSG may not agree with some pregnant people's bodies for an array of reasons, there is no evidence to suggest that it has negative effects on either the mother or fetus. 

According to an article by Healthline that is medically reviewed by an ABMS board certified physician who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology, consuming food with moderate amounts of MSG is unlikely to have adverse effects during pregnancy. But, it's also worth keeping in mind that a pregnant individual should eat food with added MSG only if they haven't faced any discomfort after eating it before they were pregnant. Moreover, although the idea that food with MSG will definitely lead to issues during pregnancy is a myth, research on the subject is relatively limited. In case you're craving food with added MSG while you're pregnant but aren't entirely sure if it's okay to consume, it's ideal to consult your doctor first, as the effects can certainly vary from one person to the other.

You've possibly often heard that an adverse reaction of eating food with MSG is throbbing headaches that take too long to go away. What if we told you that what you've believed till now is actually a myth? It isn't completely true that you'll undoubtedly get a headache after eating food with added MSG. The phenomenon of getting headaches after consuming MSG is known as MSG symptom complex in medical terms, and may be colloquially referred to as "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome." Some people may also face symptoms like flushing and muscle ache, but that's possibly because they are sensitive to MSG, which is, in fact, a thing.

But, the fact that anyone who eats MSG will definitely get a headache shouldn't be believed, as science says otherwise. As per a 2016 study published in The Journal of Headache and Pain that tested whether or not MSG can cause headaches, there's currently no evidence that consuming food with MSG will lead to one. However, researchers are still studying the topic in depth to determine if there is actually a correlation between the two. Nevertheless, you can safely consume food with MSG without worrying about headaches, if you haven't faced any such issues before.

We bet there's plenty of things you don't know about MSG, with one of them being that MSG is a completely natural substance. So, whoever has believed otherwise has sadly believed a myth. Moreover, besides being a natural substance, the production of MSG also involves natural fermentation — as do many other food items, like soy sauce and miso paste. It was originally processed out of seaweed back in 1908 by a Japanese professor; today, however, the majority of MSG isn't made with seaweed anymore. This may have taken you aback, as you probably wouldn't have known that MSG is naturally present in seaweed. But what's about to surprise you more is that although MSG is a food additive with a bad reputation, a primary compound present in MSG is also naturally found in many other foods besides seaweed. 

MSG is now processed across the world out of things like sugarcane and molasses, with some companies also using corn and cassava. Yes, your favorite corn also contains traces of glutamate, which is extracted from it via fermentation for MSG production. This glutamate gives the additive its sharp umami flavor, besides being one of the main compounds in it. Glutamate is further processed to turn it into Monosodium Glutamate, or as we all call it — MSG. All these factors collectively indicate that MSG is indeed far from being an artificial substance.

The idea that certain food items are completely MSG free if the package label doesn't have it mentioned as one of the ingredients is a myth. As noted, MSG is naturally found in many food items, and truth be told, some of the food you buy from grocery stores may have it, considering its organic presence in certain ingredients that probably wouldn't even have crossed your mind. Though this may come as somewhat of a shocker, MSG is naturally present in ingredients like cheese, tomatoes, anchovies, yeast extracts, and soy extracts. So, whenever you buy any type of food with these ingredients, you're getting food that technically contains some amount of MSG.

We bet you're wondering — if these food items contain MSG, shouldn't it be listed as one of the ingredients? Not really. The FDA has made it clear to manufacturers that if a food item contains added MSG, they need to list it as one of the ingredients on the label. But if it occurs naturally in one of the ingredients in that product, they don't explicitly need to add it to the ingredients list. However, the FDA has also stated that if any foodstuff has ingredients that naturally contain MSG, manufacturers cannot label it as MSG-free. If you have concerns about eating ingredients with natural MSG and want to avoid it whatsoever, you should purchase food packages with an MSG-free label, just to be safe.

Since gluten and glutamate in MSG sound similar, it's quite common for people to confuse the two with each other. Considering that, many people, especially those sensitive to gluten, try to avoid food with added MSG. But, there's good news for anyone with gluten intolerance as the fact that MSG contains gluten is a complete myth. Gluten and glutamate in MSG are very different from each other. Let's get into details about both to help you understand the difference better. Gluten is a protein found in many types of grains — especially wheat, but also in rye, barley, spelt, and durum. So, when someone has gluten intolerance they should avoid food with these grains. Although, it's also worth knowing that as per some research gluten sensitivity may not actually be caused by gluten but instead by fructan, which is a carbohydrate present in these grains.

Coming to MSG or monosodium glutamate, it contains glutamic acid, and glutamate is just a different way of referring to it. Glutamic acid is actually an amino acid and in very simple terms, it's one of the building blocks to form proteins in the human body. So, they are indeed very different from each other, found in different things, and also have varied purposes. Moreover, the FDA has also confirmed that gluten and glutamate have nothing to do with each other, so if you have gluten intolerance you can still enjoy food with added MSG, as long as you aren't sensitive to the additive itself.

The term 'Chinese restaurant syndrome' may have given most of you folks the idea that MSG is predominantly used only in Chinese cuisine. But, we're here to tell you that's a myth and the truth is about to leave you completely bewildered. The stigma that MSG is added to only Chinese food is a result of the Chinese-American doctor claiming in the 1960s that they faced certain health issues particularly after eating Chinese food with the additive. But, as you may remember, Americans eat an estimated average of 0.55 grams of MSG every single day, and it's highly unlikely that every one of them eats Chinese food daily. So, how are they consuming all that MSG? That's because it's added to so many food items that Americans eat regularly.

Since MSG enhances flavor and makes food more palatable, a lot of food manufacturers add it to their products, like frozen food, hot dogs, burger patties, seasonings, canned soup, and instant noodles, to name a few. Moreover, fast food chains like KFC also add MSG to their food items to make them taste better — fortunately, the restaurant is completely transparent about it. Other than that, you may not have noticed that your favorite Doritos also contain MSG (you can find it listed in the ingredients.) However, the next time you can't seem to stop eating Doritos, remember that it's the MSG that's making them taste so delicious and leaving you craving for more.

Many folks presume that food additives contain a high amount of sodium, including MSG, which is also why it shouldn't be consumed. While it's true that some additives may contain a high amount of sodium, it isn't the case with MSG. Contrary to popular belief, and as per a study published in the journal Nutrients in 2019, MSG contains only 12% of sodium, and on the other hand, common table salt contains a whopping 39% of sodium. As you can clearly see, MSG actually contains about one third the amount of sodium present in common salt.

You should also know that as per this study, using MSG in food can actually reduce the amount of sodium an average American consumes on a daily basis. There's no denying that the food available at many grocery stores and restaurants in the US is often loaded with a lot of sodium, which is causing certain health issues amongst people. A number of studies have proved that using MSG can help enhance the flavor of the food the same way adding excess sodium does, without any of the added health risks. You may think that to make the food as palatable as it is with added salt, manufacturers may need to add excess MSG to it. But fortunately, that won't happen, as an appropriate amount of MSG needs to be added to food to enhance the umami flavor, and food manufacturers know that too much MSG can ruin the food's flavor instead of making it better.

MSG's bad reputation doesn't end at the masses assuming it is an artificial substance or that it is harmful for health. Some people even believe that you should avoid MSG for no reason other than the fact that the human body cannot process it effectively. But, we are here to break that bubble and tell you that this is indeed, a myth. As per a 2017 study posted in the journal Pathophysiology, there is no discrimination by the human body between glutamate naturally present in certain food items, and added glutamate, which is in the form of MSG. 

Moreover, the study also suggests that the glutamate in food, whether it's naturally occurring in a certain ingredient or is added as MSG, is broken down completely and used by the cells in our gut as an energy source, which is further used by the liver to make other important molecules in the body. Quite an eye-opener, right? So, whether you are eating food with added MSG or food that naturally contains glutamate, they will both effectively be processed by the body, proving that there is no need to believe otherwise, or avoid food items with added MSG because of this myth. 

Another common myth stemming from MSG being a food additive is that it is usually added to low-quality food items to mask their bad flavor. Let's be clear: barely anything can mask the flavor of food that is bad in quality, let alone MSG. Despite being a food additive, MSG actually has a flavor of its own, which is umami. Moreover, addition of MSG also helps amp up the umami flavor already present in certain food items like a pickle brine, soy sauce, miso paste, and so much more. It also works especially well for proteins like meat, poultry, seafood and eggs, as they naturally have a savory flavor and MSG just adds to it with its umami-ness.

You should note that when a food item has gone bad, doesn't taste too good, or was just plain low-quality to begin with, adding MSG to it won't do much besides enhancing some umami notes, if there are any. In addition to that, even after adding some MSG to such food, the flavor or quality won't magically turn better, even though those umami notes may help mask a little bit of the unpleasantness. Ultimately, MSG doesn't have the power to trick you into thinking that low-quality food actually tastes delicious. It might improve the taste by a small amount, but if you're eating bad food, you'll still know it, regardless of whether or not MSG has been added.