Thursday, February 17, 2011

MSG & Umami- by Ali Hunt


















Figure 1- The Umami Taste Bud


Introduction:

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is an amino acid. It is a sodium salt of a glutamic acid. It is marketed as a food additive and flavoring enhancer, commonly found in processed foods such as potato chips, dry soups, spice mixes, and Chinese restaurants. MSG has a meaty, “broth-y” like taste that is different from any other food group. MSG enhances the flavors of the foods that it is commonly added to. MSG is one of the most commonly known food items in the umami food groups.



Umami:

Humans have five categories of taste: bitter, salty, sweet, sour... and umami? Umami (savory flavor) was founded in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikinadue Ikeda. Ikeda was tasting his native seaweed dish, kombu. He noticed that the kombu had a different, distinct taste that wasn’t salty, sweet, sour, or bitter. In 1913, Shintaro Kodama, found that dried bonito flakes also had the “umami” flavor. In 1957, scientist Akira Kuninaka discovered that

the ribonucleotide GMP (found in shiitake mushrooms) also had the umami flavoring. But where was this mysterious taste coming from? Kuninaka kept researching and found that the umami taste was present when items with gluatamate were combined with items containing ribonucleotides (for example: parmesan cheese and tomato sauce combined).



MSG & Health:

There is speculation about the use of MSG. M

SG is a nuerotoxin, which has an effect on the brain and nervous system from it’s first entry. It leaves us filling hungry and empty within an hour of consuming it (hence why many people full hungry shorty after eating Chinese food- one of MSG’s greatest known victims). MSG (and umami in general)increases salivation, which means it can seem “addictive” to some people. In addition to that, one’s first encounter with the umami substance is during th

e breastfeeding stage (umami is found breast milk- another “addictive” characteristic.)


Impact on World:

MSG is said to be slowly poisoning America. MSG is added to almost every food (kraft, top ramen, lays, doritos, hostess, and especially low fat, low card, or low sugar items because it is a flavor additive!). MSG was tested on lab rats, and it tripled the amount of insulin that the rat’s took in- significantly increasing the risk for diabetes and obesity. MSG’s addictive “umami” qualities make it literally “nicotine for food”. A chemical in MSG, Adrenalectomy stops serotonin production in brain, so the signal that you are full isn’t sent. There is also no FDA limit on how much MSG can be added to food.


Journal Article:

Andrew Weil, M.D.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400377/Umami-Whats-That-Great-Taste.html


Figure 2- MSG

Chemically, umami differs in structure from other foods because it has a type of amino acid called a gluamate. Anchovies, tomato paste, mushrooms, and asparagus have the umami quality in addition to MSG. These food items bring a savory taste to each dish. Although adding MSG for flavor can decrease salt and sugar content, the MSG has a bad rep for causing headaches and stomachaches. Eating MSG on an empty stomach can cause numbness, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, and weakness. Some people even have allergic reactions to MSG in food.





Bibliography



Moss, M. (2007, November 12). Monosodium glutamate (msg) - The Addiction You Never Knew You Had. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/442155/monosodium_glutamate_msg_the_addiction.htm


MSG - Slowly Poisoning America. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.rense.com/general52/msg.htm


(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.msreversed.com/picts/MSG_2.jpg (Figure 2)


(n.d.). Retrieved from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyhWu_ZDUnyC3Jd2mOXsq1ZGLYYzabKGF_tvE4pYgddfxwLcHSG-waufzEVJcMcBfmcq3Wz5lbPUtw7pRq2Acne8msaUzG35zStoDglBpQHXPrb0lX_hu8it1y0Icwsd7sBdrU1G0pKcw/s1600/nature05401-f1.2.jp (Figure 1)


The Truth About MSG. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.truthinlabeling.org/


Weil, A. (2008, March 27). Umami- Whats That Great Taste? . Retrieved from http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400377/Umami-Whats- That-Great-Taste.html




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