Life after MSG

Well It has worked for me went to a chinese restaurant last night.
And for the first time requested no msg in my food

And wow what a taste difference you got a better flavour all the way through
and the taste of freshness.

Why cant the big boys in the food world understand you dont need flavour enhancers to appreciate good food

plus you wake up the next morning without the dead dog in ya mouth and feeling arwfull

thanks for the link fran

robin

Robin,
Lots of times restaurants use commercially prepared ingredients that come in huge containers. The waiters and chefs have no idea if bulk containers of prepared tomato sauces, gravies, etc. have msg in them. And then, because they don't add msg to the cooking themselves, they mistakenly tell the customer that the restaurant doesn't use msg.

I suspect that this really applies to chinese restaurants and the products that they use.

Carol

Yes there really is LIFE - after MSG. A much better life.

Fran

Hi Carol
I here what your are saying but I used to work in the chinese restaurants and alot of it it is prepared by the chef they do work very long hours although the rich sauces are bought in a part from sweet and sour they add tartrazine I think thats hour you spell it. I have a kilo of that as well on reflection I am not suprised my hearts flips now when I look back what I have in my cuboard.

And you can allways tast fresh apposed to the processed ingredients

but point taken

kr
robin

That was my take on Chinese cooking - they cook veggies and stir fried meat from fresh and it is the sauces you have to watch for. So no BBQ spare ribs - drat. My friend is Chinese and cooks me great Chinese without sauces - now I have taught her.

I remember the day I threw out 95% of the contents of my kitchen cupboard. I couldn't even bring myself to give it away as it felt tantamount to purposely poisoning someone.

Fran

Yes, that is what I thought I said.

In other words, a lot is done from scratch, but commercially made sauces that are purchased and come in large containers, often contain "mystery" ingredients, that the chefs and waiters do not know about. Therefore, when one asks the waiter for "no msg, please" and the waiter passes this along to the chef in the kitchen, you may still be served food with msg in it.

This applies not only to Chinese restaurants, but to regular restaurants as well.

Carol

Hi Carol

Robin had asked about eating Chinese on an earlier thread and I had suggested asking for stir fried veggies with no MSG or sauces. I think this is what was done.

Heres a how to eat Asian without MSG from MSGtruth.org

"MSG is actually easier to avoid in an Asian restaurant, than in an American one.

Ask for NO MSG in your food.

Do not use soy sauce - period

Avoid soups, and sauces

Instead of a sushi roll ask for sashimi - no seaweed

Make sure no MSG was added to the rice if you order Chirashi

Use vinegar and wasabi instead of soy sauce to dip your sashimi

Think fresh - ask for a quick MSG-free stir fry of fresh vegetables, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, unmarinated meat, plain noodles, fresh ginger.

Avoid dishes that look too mixed together and marinated.

Avoid saki - sometimes MSG is added to warmed saki to remove the bitterness. In fact, go easy on alcohol altogether - your liver is needed in good condition if you should have an MSG reaction

Avoid those little crunchy appetizers - they often contain MSG.

Green tea is a good idea to drink with your meal.

Avoid sauces and dishes like Egg Foo Yung which consist of sauces likely to contain MSG

Most Asian restaurants serve very simple desserts which often consist of fresh fruit - usually oranges. It is a good idea to eat this, as Vitamin C helps mitigate any MSG reaction.

Korean food is interesting as there are safer dishes like those served in very hot bowls, where rice, raw vegetables, and raw egg are added to the bowl, and it cooks right in front of you at the table. Sauce is suppied on the side, but you don't need to use it.

In Korean restaurants steer clear of the Kim Chee, the red pickled cabbage - it often contains MSG.

Try Thai food - there are many soy-free choices - it has fresh bright flavors - but also ask for NO MSG. Thai sauces which are creamy are usually made from coconut milk, an interesting flavor.

Vietnamese food - vietnamese food is also interesting to try, in some dishes, star anise gives this cuisine the exotic flavor of licorice. Again, ask for NO MSG.

Do not drink any aspartame diet drinks with your meal. Aspartame is just as bad for you as MSG. Aspartame and MSG have a synergistic effect.

So - basic rules of thumb-
Always ask for NO MSG,
Think fresh - avoid marinaded foods
Eat your fruit, drink your green tea, eat fresh ginger
No soy sauce, limit alcohol, avoid diet drinks

Yes that is right though every thing like i have found contains it and it is doing my head in paranoia now. I think the best thing is fresh fresh fresh it is the only way

:•)

kr robin