What's the deal with MSG and chinese food anyways?

[zmatrix]

Ok, I've been to chinese restaurants that specifically advertise no msg. But it's in everything we eat and why are there no "complaints" about other foods that may contain MSG. I mean it's all socked underneath the sodium content when we eat foods like instant soups, instant noodles, chips, frozen dinners. I am sure other restaurants use ingredients that contain MSG, so why is the negative stigma on chinese food anyways.

 

[Kenny]

No idea, but the stuff tastes good.

I get sick of it real fast though.

<-- Chinese

 

[bob4432]

i think the stigma also goes into the fact that numerous chinese restaurants have been found to serve dog/cat.

maybe the chinese restaurants say they aren't giving you msg, so you will think everything is above board, but you are eating cat and not pork? just my opinion....

 

[zmatrix]

I am just saying that it shouldn't be limited to just chinese restaurants to advertise no msg - it should be everywhere.

and no chinese restaurants serve dog and cat here in the us...afaik

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: zmatrix
I am just saying that it shouldn't be limited to just chinese restaurants to advertise no msg - it should be everywhere.

and no chinese restaurants serve dog and cat here in the us...afaik

not legally...

 

[madthumbs]

Good point! We have fat free, and sugar free foods that are actually worse for you than their counterparts, but we rarely see "msg free" foods. There's a lot too; cheese nips, salad dressings, canned soups, ramen noodles, and much more. Another thing I'd like to see is "hydrogenated oil free" foods! That stuff is killing us almost as fast as cigarettes!

 

[dullard]

MSG and Chineese food go hand in hand since Chineese restaurants typically add it to the food. Yes it is naturally occuring in many foods (tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, beer, etc.) but few other restaurants go out of their way to add extra in. That said almost everyone who claims to get headaches from MSG in Chineese food has no problem with naturally occuring MSG - meaning they likely don't have a problem with MSG but just don't like the Chineese food and use it as an excuse.

Yes it is added to some store items as well. But if you look closely you'll see competitors advertising no MSG (read a Spagetti O's label for example).

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: dullard
MSG and Chineese food go hand in hand since Chineese restaurants typically add it to the food. Yes it is naturally occuring in many foods (tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, beer, etc.) but few other restaurants go out of their way to add extra in. That said almost everyone who claims to get headaches from MSG in Chineese food has no problem with naturally occuring MSG - meaning they likely don't have a problem with MSG but just don't like the Chineese food and use it as an excuse.

Yes it is added to some store items as well. But if you look closely you'll see competitors advertising no MSG (read a Spagetti O's label for example).

i love chinese food and at some restaurants i get headaches later and some i don't. coincidence?

 

[Spoooon]

"Some individuals seem to be sensitive to MSG, and exhibit what is known as 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' (because of its use in Asian cooking). The symptoms include headaches, chest pains, facial pressure, burning sensations, and sweating. The FDA continues to list it as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), but all foods containing MSG must state so on the label."

 

[madthumbs]

Originally posted by: dullard
MSG and Chineese food go hand in hand since Chineese restaurants typically add it to the food. Yes it is naturally occuring in many foods (tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, beer, etc.) but few other restaurants go out of their way to add extra in. That said almost everyone who claims to get headaches from MSG in Chineese food has no problem with naturally occuring MSG - meaning they likely don't have a problem with MSG but just don't like the Chineese food and use it as an excuse.

Yes it is added to some store items as well. But if you look closely you'll see competitors advertising no MSG (read a Spagetti O's label for example).

MSG is derived from a protein right? The MSG added to food is synthesized right? If MSG is synthesized from a protein, it likely has traces of that protein in it. All allergies are based on protein. Naturally occuring MSG does not = the food additive MSG.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: dullard
MSG and Chineese food go hand in hand since Chineese restaurants typically add it to the food. Yes it is naturally occuring in many foods (tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, beer, etc.) but few other restaurants go out of their way to add extra in. That said almost everyone who claims to get headaches from MSG in Chineese food has no problem with naturally occuring MSG - meaning they likely don't have a problem with MSG but just don't like the Chineese food and use it as an excuse.

Yes it is added to some store items as well. But if you look closely you'll see competitors advertising no MSG (read a Spagetti O's label for example).

i love chinese food and at some restaurants i get headaches later and some i don't. coincidence?

Yes

 

[rickn]

the biggest complaint is the safety concerns about it. the problem with chinese restaurants is they have it in big tubs in crystal form. I believe there has been some studies about it and blood, I forget all the details. MSG is used in a lot of processed foods, but in a different form

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: rickn
the biggest complaint is the safety concerns about it. the problem with chinese restaurants is they have it in big tubs in crystal form. I believe there has been some studies about it and blood, I forget all the details. MSG is used in a lot of processed foods, but in a different form

I found this link rickn, I have no idea if it's 100% accurate: http://www.nomsg.com/harmful.html

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: bob4432
i think the stigma also goes into the fact that numerous chinese restaurants have been found to serve dog/cat.

maybe the chinese restaurants say they aren't giving you msg, so you will think everything is above board, but you are eating cat and not pork? just my opinion....

As far as I know, most of this is fluff...really.

 

[atom]

Chinese food needs MSG, cat meat is bland.

 

[amnesiac]

MSG has over and over again been shown to NOT cause "chinese food sickness" like people have claimed.

In fact, MSG is naturally occurring in many foods including tomatoes. So it stands to reason that people would get the same reaction from tomatoes as well. Also, when you buy prepackaged or preprocessed food and it has "natural flavorings" guess what that usually is? Yup, MSG.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Wonder why my wife always gets an upset stomach when we eat at a Japanese restaurant. All she eats is teriyaki chicken, with the rice and veggies that they cook in front of you.

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: zmatrix
I am just saying that it shouldn't be limited to just chinese restaurants to advertise no msg - it should be everywhere.

and no chinese restaurants serve dog and cat here in the us...afaik

not legally...

i have never heard of a chinese resturaunt in the US that serves cats/dogs legally or not. and trust me, i know chinese resturaunts. hell, i doubt youd find any that do in any of the large cities in china itself.

 

[Pepsi90919]

i know someone who is allergic to MSG. if she accidentally has some then she will faint, tremble and blackout randomly.

 

[MrColin]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
MSG has over and over again been shown to NOT cause "chinese food sickness" like people have claimed.

In fact, MSG is naturally occurring in many foods including tomatoes. So it stands to reason that people would get the same reaction from tomatoes as well. Also, when you buy prepackaged or preprocessed food and it has "natural flavorings" guess what that usually is? Yup, MSG.

I worked at a Chinese restaraunt with a real Chinese chef. On his little stand next to his cooking station he had (no kidding) three bowls on one row w/ various oils, another row with vinegar and some other sauces, and on the front row he had sugar, salt, and MSG. It would come in 10lb bags! Of course they would omit the MSG if requested by the customer, but I ate that food almost exclusively for a year with varying amounts of MSG and never had any ill effects.

I must point out that the Chef made food for himself and all of his assistants (they all came from five different countries and none of them spoke much English and they all lived in the same apartment). Their food was vastly different from what they served to the unsuspecting Americans. The so called "Chinese food syndrome" probably has more to do with the deep frying, sugar coating, and over salting one must do to get us Americans to eat. Real Chinese don't eat that crap.

I totaly spaced on why I quoted amnesiac, coincidence?

btw I wretch for hours after eating just a bite of watermelon, what's up w/ that?

 

[Allaamu]

Restaurants that say that they don't use MSG secretly use SPIT as an alternative.

 

[MrColin]

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: zmatrix
I am just saying that it shouldn't be limited to just chinese restaurants to advertise no msg - it should be everywhere.

and no chinese restaurants serve dog and cat here in the us...afaik

not legally...

i have never heard of a chinese resturaunt in the US that serves cats/dogs legally or not. and trust me, i know chinese resturaunts. hell, i doubt youd find any that do in any of the large cities in china itself.

I heard about a pizza place in Florida that got busted for that, not because it was cats and dogs but because of otherwise unsanitary conditions. They actually kept live animals next door to the shop which violated some local health ordinance.
In most places there is no law prohibiting the use of dogs and cats as food. I predict that when Junior is finished with our economy it will actually become a more popular food source, followed closely by newborns.

 

[zmatrix]

Originally posted by: MrColin

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: zmatrix
I am just saying that it shouldn't be limited to just chinese restaurants to advertise no msg - it should be everywhere.

and no chinese restaurants serve dog and cat here in the us...afaik

not legally...

i have never heard of a chinese resturaunt in the US that serves cats/dogs legally or not. and trust me, i know chinese resturaunts. hell, i doubt youd find any that do in any of the large cities in china itself.

I heard about a pizza place in Florida that got busted for that, not because it was cats and dogs but because of otherwise unsanitary conditions. They actually kept live animals next door to the shop which violated some local health ordinance.
In most places there is no law prohibiting the use of dogs and cats as food. I predict that when Junior is finished with our economy it will actually become a more popular food source, followed closely by newborns.

How about some gator meat with that pizza...

 

[madthumbs]

I agree that Chinese restaurant syndrome may be caused by some foods other than msg, but that doesn't mean people can't have a negative reaction to "synthesized" msg.

 

[MonkeyloveGood]

my parents own a chinese restaurant and we use a lot of msg. The msg scare is complete hogwash. We have pre-prepared items which are made with a lot of msg and yet no one ever gets sick from eating those items while they order all the other food w/o msg.

Msg is found on almost every ingrediant label and that's not "naturally occuring msg" either yet no one complains about that.