Is MSG Bad for You?

This week Reactions is look at science and chemistry to let you know if MSG is bad for you. Few ingredients come with as much baggage as MSG. Otherwise known as monosodium glutamate, the compound has had a bad reputation for nearly 50 years, so we at Reactions felt it was time to clear its name. In this video, we debunk MSG myths and explain why the scientific consensus is that this flavor enhancer, known for its savory umami flavor, is perfectly safe for the vast majority of people.

More reading on MSG's undeserved bad rep:

Find us on all these places:

CC Music by Pure Natural

Like this episode? Check out these other Reactions episodes on common compounds:

Leave your chemistry questions in the comments!

[xxESIMENExx]

From this day on I will only eat dark matter to avoid chemicals.

[enwarner]

While I was in Japan. Some cafeterias and restaurants literally had jars of msg to sprinkle on your food next to the salt.

[ImSofaKingGood]

I've probably been eating this stuff for most of my life and I'm healthy and fine.  If you don't like it, don't eat it, stop trying to get FDA to ban it and bothering the rest of us who are enjoying it and doing just great.  Allergic people are responsible for watching what they eat, not making everyone else stop eating what they can't.

[chaneltyler]

I'm a personal Chef and back in college I actually did a research paper on the Sigma of MSG which turns out to be ALL about RACISM! Back in the late '60s and early '70s, NYC Asian restaurants were starting to get more and more popular and sales started getting hirer and hirer. Some or I should say Most of course didn't like it. So secretly Non-Asian restaurant owners took Asian food to laboratories to find out what was in it. It was discovered that a form of salt MSG Monosodium L Glutamate enhanced the flavor of salt and made the food taste more savory. So we know what happens next?? Those Non-Asian restaurants started screaming MSG is bad for you just to make real Asian restaurants suffer. Unfortunately, the bad word of mouth, and also public bashing made sales drop, and made people scared to consume MSG. So Asian restaurants were forced to remove it from their cooking. That's why when you go to some Asian restaurants on the menu in bold lettering NO MSG. This is a shame because now after many years of research they have determined MSG is not harmful, or life-threatening. The scare campaign was actually a HATE campaign! There are many products out on the market that most consumers eat that have always contained MSG but they didn't mention those because they were trying to put Asian restaurants out of business. Today you can find MSG at/in KFC, Chick-fil-A, Campbell's soups, Doritos, Pringles, and a whole lot more!!! I use it in 90% of my cooking especially baking when salt is one of the ingredients. I get RAVE reviews for my Cinnamon Rolls!! Oh, by the way, I got an "A" on my research paper and my professor was originally from Vietnam! 😛❤🔥💋

[feilin]

It’s funny how when the guy said when he ate Chinese food he feels unpleasant but that’s literally how I feel about western food like it’s literally full of oil

[MindSmashReal]

do one on cannabis and its effects on cancer.

[jeffj]

Americans: MSG is super poisonous, I am never eating it again.
Me: well than you need to stop eating Doritos, kfc, McDonald’s, and your cheese ever again because all those have msg too.

[mentari]

the key is to consume it with consideration a.k.a the dosage. even drinking too much water can kill you.

[kensmith]

I get killer headaches from MSG.  Other members of my family have no reaction.  It is obvious that it is something only some people are sensitive to.  For me, the stuff may as well be poison.

[razzleberry]

I started getting headaches back in the 70's and no doctor could tell us what was causing them. I would get headaches that would last weeks. Finally around 2010 I was watching The Doctors TV show and they were talking about the different types of headaches and I thought that the cluster headaches best describe mine. I did a little research on the internet and found that these headaches are usually triggered by something, and MSG was one of the top triggers. So I watched what I was eating and sure enough the headaches finally went away.

[russellcheng]

trust your gut feeling, if you know what I mean

[masterbaitergaming]

i grew up in Msg :/ but never got ill because of it....

[wenaldy]

you've been consuming glutamate in your whole life.

[farafra]

foods that has MSG added makes me addicted just like sugar . Good reason for me to avoid it .

[HelloIDontKnowMyName]

Most asian foods douse practically everything with MSG. How come people from asian countries rarely complain about it or develop any of the typical symptoms that people claim to have in the west? You would think most asians would have permanent migraines and IQs of 60 or whatever at this rate.

[dj-dq]

For over 30+ years ive been eating msg contained food, i have no problem on my health, you just need to add the right amount in a food

[CJ-]

"MSG is the way for great food."
-'Uncle Roger’

[thomasdantas]

Google image search "MSG induced obesity in mice." It's a common protocol in obesity studies to fatten lab rats up. It's not that MSG causes acute or even chronic problems directly. Rather, it can cause addictive eating behavior in some people, leaving them wanting more food in general.

[flipballaz]

japanese people consume vast quantities of MSG but so far there are no reported severe case of MSG problems, infact the inventor of instant noodel and founder of Nissin foods eats instant chicken ramen nearly everyday and he lived to the age of 96!

[maxthemax]

I just mixed 1 cup of msg in 1L of diet coke and now I feel sick. I rest my case!