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Friday, January 15th, 2010
Ever heard of MSG? Well it is time to educate yourself because this flavor enhancer found in most processed food and in nearly all fast foods will have a serious effect on your health and it could very well be the reason why we are getting obese as a nation!!!
MSG stands for Monosodium glutamate and is a so called flavor enhancer. It used to be a natural ingredient that was often used in the Asian kitchen in the form of seaweed. However, about 100 years ago we decided to start making it ourselves.
The beauty of msg is that it can be used when the food lacks freshness and flavor. This is usually caused by the food industry using rubbish and by-products instead of fresh food and quality ingredients. This way they can take all the stuff nobody wants to eat, wrap it in a nice label and still sell it to us!
This year (2008) researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, working with Chinese researchers, published a study that found a positive link between MSG intake and obesity in humans. The population in this study were 752 healthy rural Chinese villagers between the ages of 40 and 59. It turned out that MSG users were significantly more overweight than the non-users!
MSG tricks your tongue into making you think a certain food is high in protein and thus nutritious. It is not a “meat tenderizer” or a “preservative” like they make us believe.
The food industry is trying to confuse the your body by focusing on the “fifth” taste sense they call umami. When your taste buds detect Free glutamic acid they send a signal to your brain to signal the presence of protein in your food, just as there are fat receptors to detect fats and receptors that sense carbohydrate or sweet flavors. The purpose is to help us to separate real food from inedible matter.
MSG changes your perception of not simply taste but the nutritious qualities of what you put into your mouth. However, there is a bigger concern with free glutamic acid – It activates the very same neurotransmitter that your brain and many organs (including your ears, eyes, nervous system and pancreas) use to initiate certain processes in your body.
For example: MSG stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin.
Many diets these days are concerned about the Glycemic Index of foods and yet none of them address the fact that MSG and free glutamic acid stimulate the pancreas to release insulin even when there are no carbs in the food!
The food industry has found their own “anti-appetite suppressant”. It’s a convenient way to keep consumers coming back for more. The blood sugar drops because of the insulin flood. And you are hungry an hour later. Sound familiar?
Independent research has identified the following adverse reactions to MSG:
Headaches/migraines * Lethargy * Sleepiness * Anxiety * Panic attacks * Mental confusion/disorientation * Insomnia * Nausea/vomiting * Diarrhea * Stomach cramps * Irritable bowel syndrome * Bloating * Asthma attacks * Shortness of breath * Chest pain or tightness * Runny nose/sneezing * Extreme dryness of the mouth * Hives or rash * Palpitations * Flushing
MSG has been shown to cause lesions on the brain, especially in children. These lesions cause cognitive, endocrinological and emotional abnormalities.
In children excess glutamate affects the growth cones on neurons. Growth cones are vital in laying down chemical pathways in the brain to enable the brain to operate effectively.
Studies show that rats who had been fed MSG from birth could not escape mazes or discriminate between stimuli as well as non MSG fed rats.
The implications for human children are that MSG could seriously affect their cognitive skills and cause learning difficulties. (Source: healthdangers.com)
Unfortunately, many food manufacturers are now creating products for the so-called health foods industry. These so-called healthy products will use yeast extract, so they can avoid mentioning MSG on the label. Yet, both products contain MSG, and both products carry the risk of toxic side effects associated with MSG.
My Advice is simple: avoid processed food as much as possible.
Products that stay “good” for a long period of time will make you look bad in a short period of time. And please people, when do we learn…. Avoid the crap they serve at mac’ers, KFC and Burger king. It is not worth it!!!
About the Author:
Henk Damiaans Studied physiotherapy and has a degree is Sport, Health and Management.
Visit www.pthenk.com for more articles and workouts.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Message Of Msg
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