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www.msgmyth.com]
Glutamic acid is just one of many amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins. It occurs naturally in many foods such as tomatoes, milk, and mushrooms. It is also found in the cells of our bodies, including mother's milk, and involves a wide variety of brain functions since it functions as a neurotransmitter. This natural glutamate in plants and animals is known as L-glutamic acid.
Our normal digestive process slowly breaks down this natural or "bound" glutamic acid and it is then delivered to glutamate receptors in our body and brain. Broken down this way, it is harmless. In a factory, however, the bound glutamic acid in certain foods (corn, molasses, wheat) is broken down or made "free" by various processes (hydrolyzed, autolyzed, modified or fermented with strong chemicals, bacteria, or enzymes) and refined to a white crystal that resembles sugar. This substance is known as monosodium glutamate or MSG. It is 78.2% glutamate, 12.2% sodium, and 9.6% water. It is odorless and has no distinct flavor, although some describe a salty/sweet flavor. Its chemical formulation has been modified and it is technically known as D-glutamic acid. It also contains some L-glutamic acid, pyroglutamic acid, and other contaminants This factory made version causes sensitive individuals more serious reactions than any other form of glutamic acid. Keep in mind that there is no D-glutamic acid, pyroglutamic acid, or other contaminants in the protein found in plants and animals, only L-glutamic acid.
We are getting far too much MSG in the growing number of processed food items that we have come to rely on. Since free glutamate can be a component part of certain food additives, such as autolyzed yeast or hydrolyzed protein, the FDA allows it to go into food unlabeled as MSG. A label may say "yeast extract", "calcium caseinate", or "beef flavoring", but the product still contains varying amounts of "free" glutamic acid. This makes it very difficult for consumers who are trying to avoid it. It is also very dangerous for those who suffer severe reactions to it.
Monosodium glutamate in the form of a dried seaweed (Kombu) has been used for thousands of years in East Asian countries. Today, free glutamate or MSG is made from many different raw materials (mostly corn) using various chemical processes previously mentioned. Strong acids, alkalies, enzymes, bacteria, and heat are used to hydrolyze animal, vegetable, or milk products. Calcium and sodium caseinate are products of hydrolyzed milk protein. Maltodextrin comes from processed corn and although corn syrup and cornstarch are not as highly processed as maltodextrin is, they may not be totally free of glutamate as a result of their production. Yeast extract or autolyzed yeast is made by chemically processing natural yeast in a method similar to hydrolyzing. Barley malt and malt extract have small amounts of MSG because of an enzyme reaction used to produce them. Whey protein concentrate or protein isolate may contain MSG if hydrolyzed milk proteins are present or added. Soy protein isolate or soy protein concentrate is processed from soy beans and is often a component of textured protein. Most smoke flavor or smoke flavorings use hydrolyzed protein to intensify flavor. Some other "free" glutamate containing products are gelatins, which are highly processed by-products of animal protein that always contain MSG in varying amounts, and soy sauce, made from a fermentation process of soy beans. MSG can also be added to cheaper brands of soy sauce to enhance the flavor. Carrageenan is made from a type of seaweed known as Irish moss. It may contain MSG depending on its manufacturer. MSG or hydrolyzed milk protein is often added to it. The book, Battling the MSG Myth goes on to cover many other hidden sources and the foods in which they are hidden.
What exactly is MSG?
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www.msgtruth.org]
MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate is a salt of the amino acid - Glutamic Acid (glutamate). A salt is the chemical name for a molecule held together by opposite charges. Basically one (mono) sodium atom is "stuck" to the amino acid glutamate.
What is an amino acid?
Amino acids are often called the building blocks of life because it takes many of them linked together in a chain to create a protein. DNA tells the body how to make the chain and in what order the amino acids must line up. Some amino acids must be eaten because the body cannot make them (essential), some the body can make (non-essential), and yet others are able to be made during some times, but not others (conditionally essential). The life processes are all dependent on proteins which play critical roles in the body as structure, messengers, enzymes, and hormones.
Proteins are globular and clumpy because the amino acid chains fold in on themselves. This is how the immune system recognizes proteins. They are large compared to single amino acids, and they are uniquely shaped. The immune system does not recognize tiny MSG as an allergen. However, trouble can begin because the body can attack the larger enzymes like GAD, responsible for turning excess MSG into GABA.
What is an enzyme?
Enzymes are simply proteins with interesting day jobs. Enzymes help make things happen by helping to create other proteins and by helping break them down too. Enzymes are not straight chains, they are globular and clumpy, because they are folded into intricate shapes like other proteins. It is these shapes that help them create and break down other proteins and compounds.
What is a hormone?
Hormones are extremely potent protein based messengers that travel around the body connecting the lines of communication between glands of the endocrine system. These glands direct important functions like metabolism, growth, and sexual development. It has been found lately that smaller amounts of hormones are more effective than larger amounts because the body has feedback mechanisms that don't take kindly to overdoses of hormone. Things shut down because it is considered a trouble signal if there is too much hormone present. By affecting the part of the brain - the hypothalamus, that controls the master gland of the body - the pituitary, MSG may affect hormone production in the body.
Glutamate - Protein Building Block and Excitatory Neurotransmitter....
Glutamate is just one of many amino acids used by the body and linked into the chains of protein in the body. However some amino acids are free to float around by themselves as well as being found linked into proteins because they serve vital functions - some are neurotransmitters which carry nerve cell impulses throughout the body. Amino acid neurotransmitters are like chemical messengers carrying news from nerve cell to nerve cell. Some amino acid neurotransmitters like glutamate trigger nerve cells to fire, others like taurine and gamma amino butyric acid tell those firing nerve cells to cease firing. It is a delicate balance. An important balance. Researchers are finding out just what happens when that balance tips. In patients who suffer a stroke, for example, an excess of glutamate in the brain causes the nerve cells to die from overstimulation. Glutamate blocking drugs are being used to prevent some of this damage.
For more info on neurotransmitters see:
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artsandscience.concordia.ca]
For information on glutamate and excitotoxicity:
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www.memantine.com]
How does the body usually deal with excess amino acids?
Most amino acids if not used right away, are not stored as amino acids. The body has elaborate means of changing extra amino acids into other amino acids, and removing nitrogen and changing amino acids into fuel to be stored. There are processes such as "transamination" and "deamination" which occur mostly in the liver. In patients with compromised livers, however, they may have trouble transaminating cysteine, for example, into taurine, the amino acid that acts counter to glutamate. Also, an excess of the amino acid aspartate (found in Nutrasweet) may result in excess glutamate, since the body can convert aspartate directly to glutamate. Aspartate and glutamate affect some of the same receptors. In a different example, there is an enzyme that the body uses to convert excess glutamate into another neurotransmitter called GABA. In many patients with Type II Diabetes, their bodies view the enzyme responsible for turning MSG into GABA as an enemy and create antibodies to attack it so that it cannot do its job. This is a problem. The body is compromised in its job of getting rid of excess glutamate. It again is a question of balance, and what tips it.
Is manufactured MSG a problem?
According to some MSG opponents the glutamate added to foods is "bad" and the natural glutamate in our bodies is "good". MSG sellers argue that MSG is exactly like the glutamate in the human body, therefore it must always be "good". It is not so simple. There are contaminants in processed MSG. An anology that can be used is that there are right-handed amino acids and left handed ones. They are like mirror images of each other. Processed MSG contains not only the kind of amino acids the body is used to handling, but mirror image ones too. This may cause problems because it is like putting the wrong glove on your hand. It's not quite the same. We don't exactly know what problems this may cause. On the other hand (so to speak) the fact that glutamate the body is used to handling is also in MSG may present a problem because an excess of naturally occurring glutamate is well known by neuroscientists to be a problem in many disease states. Natural glutamate can cause problems we already know about. The reason food processors "free" glutamate from its bound form, is that it acts as a neurotransmitter in its free form. The food industry's claim that free glutamate is as harmless as bound glutamate is disingenous at best. If it was exactly the same, they wouldn't need to hydrolyse vegetable protein (split the amino acids apart).
Why do food companies add MSG to foods?
There are several reasons:
MSG acts as a drug like caffeine. It affects the body by stimulating the nerve cells in your tongue. It is not a "meat tenderizer". It is not a "preservative". It barely has a taste of its own. The food industry is trying to confuse the issue by focusing on the "fifth" taste sense they call umami. However, the truth is, they are using the very same neurotransmitter that your brain uses. It directly affects processes in your body. It changes your perception of taste by altering you.
MSG stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin. 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?
The body changes excess glutamate to GABA. GABA may be addictive. It is calming and affects the same receptors in the brain as valium.
Cost. The illusion created by adding MSG to a food product enables the food processor to add LESS real food. The consumer perceives the product - say chicken soup - to have more chicken in it than is actually there. Example: A well-known brand of dehydrated chicken noodle soup. Is that chicken in there, or a piece of confetti?
Foods always contain MSG when these words are on the label:
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MSG Gelatin Calcium Caseinate
Monosodium glutamate Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Textured Protein
Monopotassium glutamate Hydrolyzed Plant Protein Yeast Extract
Glutamate Autolyzed Plant Protein Yeast food or nutrient
Glutamic Acid Sodium Caseinate Autolyzed Yeast
Foods made with the following products often contain MSG.
Malted Barley (flavor) Flavors, Flavoring Modified food starch
Barley malt Reaction Flavors Rice syrup or brown rice syrup
Malt Extract or Flavoring Natural Chicken, Beef, or Pork, Flavoring "Seasonings" (Most assume this means salt, pepper, or spices and herbs, which sometimes it is.) Lipolyzed butter fat
Maltodextrin Soy Sauce or Extract "Low" or "No Fat" items
Caramel Flavoring (coloring) Soy Protein Corn syrup and corn syrup solids (some companies use another process to make their product, saying it is MSG free)
Stock Soy Protein Isolate or Concentrate Citric Acid (when processed from corn)
Broth Cornstarch Milk Powder
Bouillon Flowing Agents Dry Milk Solids
Carrageenan Wheat, rice, or oat protein Protein Fortified Milk
Whey Protein or Whey Anything enriched or vitamin enriched Annatto
Whey Protein Isolate or Concentrate Protein fortified "anything" Spice
Pectin Enzyme modified "anythng" Gums
Protease Ultra-pasteurized "anything" Dough Conditioners
Protease enzymes Fermented "anything" Yeast Nutrients
Did You Know...
That most doctors, dietitians and the public know very little about the toxic effects of MSG?
That the billion dollar processed food industry and MSG producers pay lobbyists to make all of us believe MSG is safe for the majority of the population?
That monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, a nonessential amino acid used to enhance food flavors? But it is also an excitatory neurotransmitter that destroys nerve cells in the brain of susceptible people?
That 30 to 40% or more of our population is experiencing the harmful effects of what the medical society has recently called the "MSG Symptom Complex" and many of us don't know it?
Most of us ingest more MSG than we realize or than the FDA and researchers regard as safe?
That the amount of MSG added to our processed foods has doubled every 10 years?
That MSG is not just used in East Asian restaurants, but in most restaurants and most bagged, bottled, frozen, boxed, canned, or commercially prepared foods?
That additives such as hydrolyzed protein and autolyzed yeast can contain as much as 40% MSG, and do not have to be labeled as such?
That aspartame and L-cysteine are other powerful excitotoxins that cause similar damage to our bodies?
That Attention Deficit Disorder, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, some weight problems, migraine headaches, sleeping disorders, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Glaucoma, Asthma, Diabetes, and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), and Parkinson's may have more in common than we think?
That we as a people tend to take at least 20 years to accept what earlier tests warn us is harmful to us, especially when it means giving up something we enjoy? Consider tobacco and caffeine.
That your body is your best source of the truth? According to Funk and Wagnall's Standard Desk Dictionary (volume 1, 1980), a myth is "a false opinion, belief, or ideal." Test yourself by using our suggestions and see if you or your loved ones are suffering needlessly due to the "MSG Myth" and those who promote it.
Many people who have had such toxic reactions because of MSG also have to avoid high sources of natural free glutamate in a bid to normalise levels eg over cooked tomatoes, mushrooms etc.
Hope you followed this. There is tons more in the conference room.
Fran