Not just in noodles, MSG is present in almost every processed food you eat
MSG is present in most of the processed foods that you get - chips, biscuits, soups and ready-made and packaged curries - And the point is you really can't run away from them, especially if you love processed foods.
If you are feeling pleased with yourself for throwing out those packets of instant noodles, hold your horses. Because, MSG is present in most of the processed foods that you get — chips, biscuits, soups and ready-made and packaged curries — And the point is you really can’t run away from them, especially if you love processed foods.
MSG is everywhere; 40 per cent of products in a supermarket have MSG in it. And the other MSG hotspots are Chinese restaurants. Fast food joints use MSG in almost all their products.
Known by several names — monopotassium glutamate, autolysed yeast extract, Ajinomoto, Ac’cent, sodium caseinate — MSG is basically what makes processed food taste really good.
Fitness experts and doctors warn against this trend of processed foods. “I always advise all my clients to stay away from processed foods. First, preservatives are great for a product but they are terrible for your gut,” says Ali Faraaz, nutrition coach.
They end up killing all the good bacteria and can cause a lot of trouble for your body,” adds Ali. “MSG,” he adds, “destroys the body’s ability to process food and you have to be careful because there are many products that use it in high content,” he explains.
However, one doubt that people have is that, if MSG is so dangerous, how come people back in Japan, where the noodle-soup is so popular don’t suffer from any of the problems that can be caused due to MSG? The answer perhaps lies in the amount of MSG that is used in products. Sujatha Stephen, chief nutritionist for Care Hospitals, says, “The permissible limit for MSG is 0.01 ppm. MSG is usually used as a taste enhancer and one that is used in instant noodles, soups and packed curries and food.”
With so many harmful effects of MSG, why doesn’t the government ban it once and for all? The answer is not that simple, MSG in small contents is a taste enhancer and so banning it would not make food as tasty.
Another reason why MSG cannot be banned could also be tied to the fact that no one has been able to connect MSG to the “side effects” that people say it comes with.
So how does one stay away from all these products? Ali says, “If you can’t control other factors, then control yourself. Eat processed foods in moderation. I let myself have Maggi once a month, that is my cheat food and that way, I let myself indulge in such food, but in moderation.” The results of the testing of Maggi in Telangana are not out yet and is expected soon
( Source : dc correspondent )
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