Well, not REALLY but it’s not the worst thing, contrary to what a lot of people think. I used to watch my grandmother cook and she’d put a tiny pinch of the stuff into her food and it tasted amazing. Of course, she was such a good cook she didn’t always need the MSG but it alwas enhanced.
The problem arises when a cook uses too much of it, and that sends diners into dizzy spells and nausea and even heart palpatations. It’s not a condiment or a spice people, it’s like a tiny dab of perfume – used sparingly it compliments; too much and it’s, well, too much.
I found this article about MSG (it basically defends it) really enlightening and I hope it educates people a little more and proves that there’s nothing to fear about MSG. To reiterate what I said above, one of the chefs quoted in the article has this to say about MSG (or as I knew it growing up, Ajinomoto):
“Too much MSG and you get that harsh, acrid taste,” said Mr. Pelaccio, who uses an empty barrel of Ajinomoto-brand MSG he found on the street as a plant stand in his Chinatown apartment. “But get it just right and that dish will sing.”
Mangia!
Hi, I actually used to work in chinatown NY when a student and stopped working there because they injected the ducks with MSG to make them obese or fatter and look more appealing when hanging in windows. I know because i was a biologist and the MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates. I assume it has the same effect in people.
Comment by Cindy Cho — March 5, 2008 @ 5:14 pm
Hi Cindy! Thanks for visiting my blog! That’s really interesting (and gross) that the ducks are injected with MSG. To reiterate, MSG when used sparingly and in moderation enhances. But when it’s used as a dead animal steroid… well… *barf*
I’d assume the same thing about its effects on people. My mother, when subject to a little too much MSG in food, gets dizzy spells, as do I. It’s not great for you in large amounts that’s for sure!
Comment by Ms. Tabitha — March 6, 2008 @ 8:54 am
I have a jar of it in my medicine cabinet because I was told that if you make it into a paste it takes away the itch from a bug (MOSQUITO!) bite. Guess what…it works.
My general reaction to too much is the shakes + my body gets warm + tingly.
Comment by shona — March 9, 2008 @ 8:39 am