When scientists want to make rats obese, they give them MSG (monosodium glutamate). Did you know that MSG is in many food products, including some processed organic foods? The food industry loves MSG, because they can artificially flavor poor quality ingredients and trick our flavor receptors into thinking something tastes great that we may otherwise avoid. Research also shows that MSG makes us crave these foods and desire more and more. Basically, we are the rats! While there are many chemical ingredients that flavor our food today, MSG is one that is talked about the most by natural practitioners as an ingredient to avoid. You may think you are avoiding MSG by buying products that say MSG free or selecting products that do not have it as an ingredient on the label, but even those products can have this hidden under other phrases like natural flavor or spice.
MSG is a potent neurotoxin (toxic to the nervous system). When researching this topic, you will find that a lot of studies confirm MSG to be safe, but it’s important to look at the sponsors of these studies. They were all done by the glutamate industry! According to the Weston Price website these studies were done as double-blind studies where one group was given MSG and the other group a placebo. The interesting thing to note about the placebo group was that they were given Aspartame, a chemical with similar consequences. Yes, there are plenty of studies out there confirming the dangers of MSG, but you won’t hear about them from our media, government, or FDA. We live in a fallen world, filled with greed, corruption, and lies.
It has been documented that many people have been affected by MSG. According to the Truth in Labeling website, some of the diseases reported include brain damage, endocrine disorders (obesity and reproductive disorders), behavior disorders, adverse reactions, neurodegenerative disease, migraines, seizures, cancer, and asthma. Some studies suggest that MSG also causes food addiction. To make matters worse, the big food companies have lobbied to get MSG hidden under 40 FDA approved ingredients. If I see the word spice, natural flavoring, or yeast extract, to name a few, I assume it’s in there and won’t buy it. When I read a label that says, “Does not contain MSG,” I can’t trust it. MSG is also sprayed on a lot of the non-organic crops as an insecticide. Two great sources for more information are the website, Truth in Labeling, and the book, Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, by Russell Blaylock, M.D.
When I started thinking for myself and doing my own research, I quickly realized that this was one preservative or flavoring that I didn’t want in my food. I also learned swiftly through this process that MSG was in almost everything we were eating!! I had to learn a new way of cooking for my family, and after years of experimenting it’s been fun to share what I have learned with others. I’m certainly not an expert and still have a lot to improve on, but we have learned to make a lot of the foods we used to enjoy. We use organic herbs and spices to create our own seasoning blends like homemade ranch dressing for delicious salads and chips, season salt for steak and hamburgers, Italian blends for spaghetti, pizza, and fettuccine Alfredo, a variety of pasta salads, summer sausage, homemade stock and creamed soups, and hamburger helper to name a few. These are just a few of the things I never thought I could recreate!
I get asked a lot how we avoid MSG and the answer is this. First, we grow as much of our food as time allows. Then we eat this fresh or freeze, can, or dry it for winter. All of our meat is now grown on our farm, but before this I would only purchase from farmers in our area that I could trust, and have it processed without any of their seasonings. We support local farmers that are growing food or feed beyond organic standards (when I can talk to the farmer face to face, I’m not worried about an organic label). Finally, we buy basic, organic ingredients and make almost all of our food from scratch. The organic label is meaning less to me all the time, but I do still patronize the organic industry through reputable companies, in order to avoid GMOs, chemical toxins, and so much more, but this is a last resort!
When we converted our diet, I noticed that the pain that I had experienced for most of my life mostly disappeared. I don’t know if MSG was the cause, since I eliminated so many other toxins, but I will say that several years ago I quit eating organic cream of chicken soup, because that pain returned every time, I ate it. More recently I learned from the Healthy Home Economist that MSG is in organic creamed soups. Maybe that was why I would experience the burning pain. When we are out and about, I also eat my own food, because even the most natural people often use at least one ingredient that causes me problems. This avoidance of other people’s food has definitely been the hardest part of this natural healing journey. I highly encourage you to research this subject, and start making your own observations about what heals or damages your health.
Have you ditched the MSG?
What is your favorite food to make from scratch that you enjoy the most?
We love to hear from you!