121–130 of 164 posts
I use those crystals in my kitchen and they are labelled "monosodium glutamate" (Ajinomoto). A pound of that easily lasts me 2 years. You only need a dash here and there (and only if it isn't umami on its own).
I also eat/use Parmesan, Dashi, tomatoes, and so forth.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Off-topic, but in case you're not using British English, please be aware that "oriental" is largely considered pejorative and offensive.
[citation desired] I'd love to know who dislikes "oriental". And do they like or dislike "occidental"?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The link between sodium and high blood pressure is not conclusive: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/02/why-does-sal...
In short: your blood is mostly water. Your blood is surrounded by a selectively permeable membrane (your vascular tissue). Solutes increase osmotic pressure (see: biology 101). Sodium chloride (table salt) is highly soluble in water (see: chemistry). Therefore, sodium and chloride increase the osmolarity of your blood. Water passes through the semi-permeable membrane back into your blood to decrease osmotic pressure…
Instead, current research indicates that high blood pressure after excess sodium intake may be caused by activation of the sympathetic nervous system, secondary to increased sodium loading on ion channels.
I remember it was in a relatively recent paper. This mechanism might help explain why sodium hasn't consistently been shown to have an adverse effect in humans while at the same time still being strongly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Come to think of it, it's also a good explanation for why cultures in temperate climates tend to start their day with a hearty (salty) meal ;)
I would also like to point out, since above a comment was made about glutamate containing "a shitload" of sodium, that the actual sodium content of MSG is only around 13% by weight, compared to table salt where it's nearly 40%.
In New Zealand we were always taught that MSG was bad, until they did an actual study on it and decided that 0.01% of the population has an allergic reaction to MSG that causes Migraines, Vomiting, etc. Ever since, no one in NZ gives a shit about MSG now. Seems Australia is still really anal about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate "Australia and New Zealand[edit] Food Standards Australia New Zeala…
Be careful about making your generalisations too broad. I live in New Zealand, and would have said that everyone in New Zealand thinks that MSG is ZOMG BAD FOR YOU. I suspect that each of us can only speak for our own social group. That said, that you for your information about MSG. I wasn't aware that FSANZ had declared it to be effectively harmless.
I moved to Australia to live for 5 years and I remember being at work in Sydney and people saying "Oh I'm not eating that, its probably full of MSG" and I would say its not bad for you and they are like "well every study disagrees with you..." and if you mention FSANZ declaring it harmless they are like "oh whats that?".
I live in Singapore now, no doubt everything has MSG, but ZOMG I LOVE FOOD HERE! :D
The MSG allergy is a myth, plain and simple. There have been plenty of scientific research studies done on the substance, and they found absolutely nothing. I don't know why this myth has persisted so long in popular culture. I compare it to people who rave about homeopathy. Any (perceived) effect is either anecdotal or placebo in nature. What most people don't know, is that MSG occurs naturally in many foods. Beef,…
1. I occasionally get symptoms often associated with MSG. Terrible headache, confusion, nasal drip, nausea, and so on. It can put me out of action for about 12 hours.
2. I invariably get these symptoms about 24 hours after I've eaten processed foods with an unusually rich flavour and which have, somewhere in their ingredients, either MSG or something that might conceal MSG (e.g. "flavourings").
I can't guarantee that it's MSG, because I'm too chicken to test it directly (that headache really sucks), but it certainly fits the profile.
Now some people point out, "It occurs naturally in all kinds of foods. The original MSG was derived from miso soup, which you eat every day."
And my answer is, "I don't know. Maybe it's a subtle variant of MSG that only occurs in the synthetic variety? Maybe the naturally occurring MSG is bound up with other things that render it safe for me to eat? But something's making me ill, and it's only in synthetic ingredients."
In New Zealand we were always taught that MSG was bad, until they did an actual study on it and decided that 0.01% of the population has an allergic reaction to MSG that causes Migraines, Vomiting, etc. Ever since, no one in NZ gives a shit about MSG now. Seems Australia is still really anal about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate "Australia and New Zealand[edit] Food Standards Australia New Zeala…
Be careful about making your generalisations too broad. I live in New Zealand, and would have said that everyone in New Zealand thinks that MSG is ZOMG BAD FOR YOU. I suspect that each of us can only speak for our own social group. That said, that you for your information about MSG. I wasn't aware that FSANZ had declared it to be effectively harmless.
This article is both accurate and highly misleading. The author is correct that there is very little reliable evidence that links glutamic acid and/or glutamate to health problems. The backlash against MSG as a result of the "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" craze, was not rooted in scientific inquiry. However, MSG is not just a source for glutamate like seaweed and tomatoes are. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid a…
I can eat carbs if I stay away from glutamate/sodium, so my first guess that it was the white rice, pizza crust and spaghetti noodles was incorrect. But the MSG is always correlated with the symptoms. Is it the MSG or is it that the MSG comes with the salt? I dunno. I'm not really certain that it matters either.
(I've also had my BP taken by a cardiologist the day after eating Chinese food and it spiked enough to cross the line between normal and high blood pressure the next morning after the meal...)
I still think "umami" looks out of place next to the other basic taste words. All the others come in adjective/noun pairs: sweet/sweetness, salty/saltiness, etc. Where's the adjective for "umami"? "Umami" again? "Umami-tasting"? It doesn't work well (and importing the Japanese adjective "umai" would make things worse, not better). Instead, I highly prefer the adjective sapid with its corresponding noun sapidity. Swee…
probably because it's a japanese word and the rest are english?
In general, I think MSG simply tastes salty, even though I understand and agree that it doesn't precisely taste like a salt.
MSG doesn't have a flavor unfamiliar to western cuisine. Chicken soup has flavors that fall within the realm of MSG (even without the MSG found in canned soups). Gravies too.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
" MSG is especially worrying because there are some studies that show negative effects of MSG " Have you read the actual studies? There are no "mixed" studies, they're all conclusive. One of the biggest studies done was a decade long and found absolutely nothing . Sources: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2222.2009.... http://www.livestrong.com/article/408512-neurological-effect... http://www.highbea…
Did you read the article this discussion is attached to? It said in part: "Initially, researchers had success proving both the short-term and long-term dangers of MSG: mice injected with the additive showed signs of brain lesions, and humans fed 3 grams of MSG per 200 ml of soup presented symptoms congruent with “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.” " If you believe the original article is wrong, then you should perhaps mak…